New Life, New Beginnings'
by Samman
Summary: AU:Gambit/Rogue. Chapter 10 uploaded FINALLY. A peaceful gambit/rogue moment. What happens when Rogue has to risk her life to save Mystique from the FOHs who'd been after her for the longest time? ENJOY.
1. Escape...

New Life, New Beginnings by Sania

New Life, New Beginnings by Sania

Disclaimer: The x-men characters are not mine, they belong to Marvel and I make no money of this story, this is just for entertainment.

Author's Note: Hello guys! I'm back! Half of the credit for this story goes to Mara Kraus, who checked my story and corrected stuff! Thanks a lot Mara! You rock! So here it is.

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Outside the Mansion…

"Grrrr, what's takin' ya so long, Gumbo?!" Growled Logan A.K.A Wolverine. He was standing outside the mansion with a usual scowl on his forehead waiting for Remy mainly known as Gambit to go to the bar with him. 

Gambit came running with a usual charming grin on his face, a trench coat in his hand, and jumped in the front seat beside Wolverine. "Chill Mon'ami, Remy never take so long to meet dose pretty femmes in de club…ya know..." 

Wolverine, who had already accelerated his jeep kicked the break paddle with all his force and growled at Gambit with a hand at the back of Remy's seat. "Look Cajun…jus' shut that crap er else I'll rip out your lungs out and there's no stormy 'ere who'd keep me from killin' ya, ya get it?" Gambit kept his cool and smiled instead. _'You keep doin' dis t' me an' stormy will keep pushin' ya away…she be a big fan of dis Cajun…Mon'sieur Logan…'_ He smirked in his own mind. Logan then sped up to the club in the New York City…

*****

Around the New York City…

The blue and red lights of the police cars were shimmering in the crowded night of the NYC. There could be FOH agents seen roaming around with tension building up in their bodies. She was running with a low pace, white bangs and curly tendrils all over her beautiful face which looked like if she had been severely beaten up by people, anyone could notice from the purple and blue bruises on her elegant limbs. She seemed to be not more than nineteen, alone and pretended as if there was no problem or hurry until she heard a scream that made her run faster with fear. "MUTIE! She's wearing the Genoshan Collar. Get her! Protect yourselves people…a mutant in the street! Freak! You don't deserve nothing! Get her! She might kill somebody!" 

The FOH agents split into different groups and started searching for the girl and people started running in Panic due to the sudden outburst of the guy. The guy didn't care and kept on saying everything and every word that was coming out of his mouth about the girl. "Just one of these mutant scum destroyed my family!" Get her!"

The girl just ran and ran and ran until she reached the dark alleys of the city where voices of different people and music could be heard from the thousand clubs that were in that specific area. She stood into one corner and tried to regain her composure by straightening out her long auburn hair and running her hands on her ripped, beat up jeans. She started fidgeting with her collar because one thing that was on her mind was that people might recognize the thing is used to turn off the mutant powers. Although she knew she must not be there, she took off for one of the crowded nightclubs where the shadowy figures of people dancing could be seen from the outside. 

To be continued…

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Taddaaaa! SO, like it? Next chapter, hmm lets see, when should I upload it? You know my rules…so don't forget to review…thanks!---Sania.


	2. Trouble in NYC....

Disclaimer: The x-men don't belong to me. They are the property of Marvel. This is just for entertainment.

Author's Note: Please ignore any changes in text you see because you know my computer is the best in the world that has the perfect timings to create problems at the perfect time. THANKS a lot guys, for reviewing my story; it just encourages me to do my work better than ever! Yeah one more thing, it may take a while for me to upload some of the chapters because you know writing takes time and since I'm doing two stories at a time it may take a while. Another thing, that there's a little teeny weeny cursing.

Chapter 2:Trouble in the NYC…

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Wolverine and Gambit had just ordered drinks and were now sitting on the barstools; Gambit the Cajun charmer was already surrounded by flock of girls and was obviously flirting with them. However Logan on the other hand obviously seemed to be annoyed by the crowded girls and decided to take one of the seats near the corner of the club. "Damn this Cajun…" Came a slow gruff as he went to the specified position.

*****

Without any caring, Rogue entered the bar and moved along the dancing people in the dim, dark light of the cloud. She was fortunate enough that people didn't notice her collar, either it was the new technology that people couldn't recognize the broad metal *necklace* she was wearing, or it was that people were too busy into their own fun filled lives dancing all around in the dark environment of the club not even bothering to see what was going on around them. 

*Ah hope people don' recognize meh…its been a tough day. Heck mah whole life has been tough! Well ah think ah should come down heah sugah, haven't ah created enough problems for the day?*

She then found an empty seat near a tall guy with auburn hair and and went there to pick it up.

"Damn, dis be too hot…" With that he took off his brown trench coat and slid it behind him, which fell to the floor near rogue's foot. He didn't notice and busied himself talking to the blonde with her hands in his. 

When rogue saw that the handsome guy wouldn't pay attention to any thing except for the blonde girl sitting next to him and his back was already facing her, she decided to take advantage of the moment. She slowly reached to the floor and took the trench coat in her hands…*hmm, this maight come in handy…hope he don't notice it…ah could cover this damn collar with this thang.*

She quietly grabbed the trench coat and walked up straight to the other corner of the bar. As she passed pass the weird hairdo, Wolverine became cautious due to his inability of picking up scents, as he smelled a strange scent in the surroundings. Instantly his sight caught a glimpse of a girl with an unusual streak of white hair in the front but something else was familiar about her. *That looks like gumbo'strench coat. But then she also had his scent on her. *That's definitely gumbo's trench coat. * He got up from his seat and went up to gambit…who was continuously flirting with the blonde.

He took gambit by his T-shirt's collar and asked with a growl. "Hey Cajun, I think ya have a trench coat with ya which ya always carry, where is it?" 

Gambit grinned. "What? Gambit jus' left it……." He turned around to see but it wasn't there. "Damn Mon'ami, Gambit didn' know people steal cothes nowadays…he 'tink it's been a pretty long time since gambit last went on a stealin' mission, neh?" 

When Logan picked up the same scent, which he had picked up first, he became a little curious about the strange little thing that just happened. "We've got a problem gumbo, ya see that person? I've got a strange about this that something ain't right." He pointed to the person whose head was hidden beneath the collar of the trench coat and was walking fast out of the club.

He nodded. "Les' get goin'" 

They started walking after her and when she found herself being followed by two strange looking guys, her steps automatically became faster. With that Wolverine and Gambit started walking at a greater pace. She couldn't bear being in the prison for the rest of her life again so she started running and they followed her. Suddenly she realized that she had come to the same place where the man had shouted at her and realized that FOH agents were already there. 

Rogue ran straight and found a dark alley at the left side of the side walk and quickly slipped in. Meanwhile when wolverine shed his claws, the friends of humanity started attacking him, gambit on the other hand was fast, and quick, he headed into the empty dark street at his left side which led the way straight where the person was hiding. Quickly and quietly, he made his way to the person and since it was dark, he couldn't see the person's face, before he or she could attack, gambit punched her hard in the face. 

"Oomph!" He suddenly came to the realization as the car lights shaded her face bright that the thief was a beautiful femme with white streak in her long auburn hair and huge emerald green eyes. She was heavenly beautiful, just like an angel. Gorgeous long auburn hair with curls at the end and an unusual white strip and bangs in the front. Soft, pink lips curled into a small cry and she fell to the floor, eyes shut closed with her hands on nose and cheek. 

"I…I didn't mean t' hurt you…" 

She fell to the floor, pushing backwards on the ground, she got up and started to run again but he quickly grasped her left wrist in his hand and turned her towards him with full force and flipped her around so that both his hands formed a ring around her waist. Holding her by the waist as her back was facing his front, he saw the suppression collar from the nape of her neck. Besides it would have been too easy for him to tell because of its broad metal that could be seen easily from over his trench coat. Beast had shown it to him a few days ago and told him that this was the new technology that FOHs could use to harm the mutants in so many ways. 

"YOU be a mutant!? Look…girl no need t' be afraid of…Remy's not gonna hurt you." She started kicking and made tremendous efforts to pull out of his tight grasp.

"Uh…let gooooo!" She cried.

He released her as he got a hard blow in the balls and she ran, leaving an angry Cajun. "What de hell?! C'mon girl, we're just tryin' to help you! Come back here! 

Her head was now spinning like a football due to the blow she got in the face, She turned to head while running to see if he was still chasing her, instead, she felt severe pain in her right leg. 

"Crunchhhh!" 

She kicked her leg as hard as she could to get the black German Shepherd away from her, whose perilous, sharp teeth were dug in her calf. Realizing frightfully that a dog had bit her, she started shouting in vain. The FOH agents had left their dogs to pick up senses and traces of the girl. It was just a matter of seconds the dog had bit her, than he ran away barking along the street. 

"Aaaaaaaah! You son of a bitch!" She yowled at the dog. A wet and warm liquid spreaded widely all over the leg and wound leaving it all red. She stumbled on to the ground and collapsed. 

"Wrong move, Mon' dogie…" Gambit smirked. He had charged his card throwing it to the dog's tail who had bit rogue. 

It had only been 5 seconds since she collapsed but she could see the handsome guy over her with hazy eyes. "Didn't gambit tell you not t' run away??" He whispered. 

The violet and purple colored bruises on her shapely cheeks made him feel ashamed for punching her that hard. He crouched down near her prone body, slid his arm under her waist carefully, and scooped her up gently into his arms. She looked like a rag doll, so limp in his strong, muscular arms. He was amazed that she was still conscious but he could hear her soft, painful moans with his excellent hearing ability. She now dozed off and floated into a dusky black cloud of darkness… 

*****

Wolverine alone had taken care of the few FOHs who were about fifteen to twenty in number. Gambit brought her to his jeep and placed her carefully on the back seat.

"She smells of dogs." 

Gambit shook his head slightly at the mess that had taken place in the town half an hour ago and clicked the door shut.

"Let's get goin'…"

To be continued…

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ok, how was it? Thanks for reviewing guys. I really appreciate it. Chapter 3 coming soon. Don't forget to review!


	3. Strange Awakenings...

DISCLAIMER: Ok these characters are not mine, they belong to Marvel and I make no money of this story

DISCLAIMER: Ok these characters are not mine, they belong to Marvel and I make no money of this story. This is just for entertainment.

Author's Note: Don't forget to review the story. I know I upload the chapters very late but what can I do. Enjoy! **Important:** In this AU, when Miss Marvel's powers were taken by Rogue, she was with some other mutant groups instead of the x-men. The x-men do know that somebody did this to Miss Marvel but they don't know that Rogue was the one who did it. Got it?

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Chapter 4: Strange Awakenings

She blinked her eyes open. As she tried to get up, she felt sharp pain in her leg as if somebody had shot thousand needles in it. When her eyes got hold of her vision. She realized that she was in some sort of short mechanical compact room. She moved her leg once again and tried to stand up but the pain hit her again and she fell down on the bed. "AWO!" 

"Easy there, you might hurt yourself." She looked up to see a beautiful red head standing at the entrance of the cell.

"Who are ya? An' where am Ah an' who brought meh here?!"

"O.k ok, just calm down and I'll tell you everything… "Calm down?! Yer tellin' meh t' calm down aftuh what happen' t' meh Gawd knows wha' night an' then Ah open mah eyes ta see tha' ah'm at a place which ah know nothin' of?!" She cut her off by yelling and bringing up her years of frustration she had spent in the prison with her newly powers navigated. 

"Look you don't understand, we're here to help you, not only you but also other mutants who have been treated as badly as you so that they can learn to control their powers. This is the Xavier Institute for Higher learning. And you are brought here by one of our mutants. You're a mutant, you know that, right?" 

Rogue nodded with unshed tears in her eyes. 

"I'm Jean Grey, one of the mutants of Professor's Institute. We have other mutants here also, about eight or more. And we are team. You must have heard about the x-men. Together we fight against the crimes that other mutants commit due to the numerous fights they have with the Friends of Humanity. So you are going to live here with us and Professor will teach you to control your powers, don't worry we'll help you as much as we can. Ok…what else…" 

She started thinking by quickly pressing her index finger to her lips. "Oh yeah, Professor is going to have a talk with you later, about what happened earlier and if you would like to stay here or not, nothing much. Ummm, you wouldn't mind if I ask your name, would you?" 

"Ah'm Rogue." The throbbing Rogue pain in various parts of her beaten body made it difficult for her to focus on everything that Jean was saying and absorb it.

"Rogue?" Asked Jean unfamiliar with the strange name. 

"Yeah, tha' it is, Rogue." She heard somebody calling Jean from outside the cell. 

"I think I should go now…" 

Rogue then suddenly lay back down and curled onto the bed crying softly as the constant tragedies kept on occurring in her life.

*****

# Rogue..ah wanna…# Cody? Wha…ah… Nooooo…# My daughter!? A freak?!….Daddy no..don' hurt…# Ah'm sorry daddy, Ah'm sorry…ah can't live heah anym…# dark…music…..people…# she's the bitch who sucked his life…!# C'mon… Pretty girl… you don' wanna come with us…. ? # Ahhh, look here… we have a stubborn one over here who doesn't ….wanna come …and we took our asses all the way…to..#…C'mon, we're not gonna hurt …# get away from meh…stop…no needles…please no more…# Blue lady..C'mon, hurry up, we're…mutants too…gonna help you. # running….training…c'mon rogue, you gotta absorb her…# momma, ah can't take mah hands off o' her…ahhh…super strength…# fight with foh agents, blue lady…blob.# falling…inhibitor…prison… we gotta take her ….other foh headquarters…# runnin…# mutie!…she's one of those….mutie scum…# the coat…#running again…#let me goooo…#sirens…dogs…###….# chere….#

"Nooooooo! " Two strong but gentle arms grabbed her and she shivered terribly until she got stable and her beautiful green eyes met with the same person she had seen that night when she escaped. She was shaking and her own hands were around either side of her tightly rapped. He was sitting on the bed, on which she now sat upright. Her long hair was in place but her forehead was covered with a mixture of auburn and unusually white irritating long strands of hair, which she shakily pushed away and tucked behind her ear. The trembling sensation from the flashback in her nightmare still remained slightly as she jerked her shoulders away from him.

"Had a nightmare?" Gambit asked politely. She had been sleeping for over two days and hadn't wakened up even when Hank attempted his painful treatments on her bitten-leg, cracked wrist and different bruises.

"YOU?!" Instead of replying him in a better way, rudeness was the option she chose to apply to everyone she met, not everyone, maybe he and the other guy were the only people she had met or talked to after a long time. Five years in prison taught nothing but harsh words which didn't leave anything in her mind except taking revenge from everyone as if everybody was responsible for her troubles. May be this was nothing if compared to the things she had been through.

"Yeah chere, Remy." He said with a grin, her staring at him right into his eyes into his eyes, or shades he was wearing to hide those demon like red on black eyes was…strange. 

"Wha' are ya doin' here? Ah mean aren't you the one who punched meh in the face and tried t' chase meh an' caused all the freakin' trouble?"

"Look chere, dat was an accident..i did'n know if you were a girl or a guy when you were runni'n around wit *MY* trench coat in de dark.." 

She shyly looked down."Ah did tha' 'cuz ah needed t' cover the colluh an..so.." She hesitated for a while when words didn't come out of her mouth.

"I's okay." He said as he lifted her chin with his middle and forefinger. He looked over to her badly injured leg which was rapped in bandages and straps. "How ya doin?"

Her politeness stayed over only two seconds and then replaced by the same spunk. "Nevuh been bettuh. Wha' do ya wan'?" He smiled instead. 

"Ya know what, you look lakh a Colgate tooth paste advertisement sittin' here smilin' at meh ovuh nothin'…"

__

Damn it! No woman ever talk to Remy like dat…"Nothin' I t'ought if ya wan'ed anythin'."

She than rapped her long limbs which were covered with bandages in most places, tightly around her jeans clad elegant legs with tears in her huge, beautiful, emerald green eyes. When he tried to comfort her by bringing his hand up to her shoulder, she quickly stepped back on the bed away. 

"I'm Remy, Remy le beau." He extended out his hand to shake hers. Slowly and softly she met his hand with hers, Instead of shaking it, he brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly. Rogue blushed but abruptly snatched it away from him. It had been such a long time since somebody had touched her like that, the last time she had some sort of gentle, physical touch was the one with Cody which was the beginning of her _real_ life. 

"Ah'm uh…Rogue." 

"Rogue? Never heard of a name like dat. Where ya from? Kentucky? Alabama?"

"Ah'm from Caldotte, Mississippi, Cajun…" She added after wards as some of the memories of neigbourhood and people still remained with her.

"Ahem, I think our southern belle has already met our Cajun friend here." When she caught sight of the hairy blue huge animal which looked like a furry teddy bear to her she screamed at the highest pitch of her voice she could reach, and trembling she crawled to the further corner of the bed. "AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Remy tried not to smile but it was on use. 

"Umm, chere it's ok. I's jus' Hank. He won' h'rt ya. Really he's jus' a big cuddly monkey we picked up from de zoo." 

Hank looked at Remy un-amused, and adjusted his thick black framed glasses. "Ahem, as a matter of fact Remy, a bear would have suited better for me. So how is our patient or I should say, our new mutant doing?" He looked at her.

Remy looked at him wounded. But before he could say anything, Jean came in. 

"Will you two stop it. Can't you see she's scared?" Jean scolded them, then she looked at Rogue, "It's okay dear, Hank is harmless. He's one of the mutants I told you about earlier today. Why don't you have some rest and I'll come after a little while to check on you. You're okay…right?" 

"S' ah guess ah have t' stay here in prison for anothuh fahve yeahs…*sigh*…" Rogue snapped. 

"….Uh….Rogue, sweety you don't understand…uh, I'll talk to you later. Remy, why don't you come with me, because you know, this is a restricted area and you know you're not allowed here on unusual hours, C'mon. And Hank, would you please come to the lab so that we can talk." Remy threw a glance at Rogue who's innocent face was red and wet with tears. His heart melted, he couldn't help but leave with Jean and Hank. 

To be continued…

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Note: Keep in mind that mystique did not help Rogue when she was taken by the Fohs when she was attacked during their battle. I know I know, this wasn't a really good one, I'll be uploading the next chapter as soon as possible. Please review. Thanks for reading guys, I appreciate it.


	4. Author's Note

Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men. They belong to Marvel and are used without permission, but just for entertainment.

****

Imortant: Author's Note: Hi guys. Just wanted to tell you that why my fic is taking too long. Well you know I was working on my fic in my school library and when I came home the disc didn't have any data. I complained to the technician and later we found out that our school disc drives had a glitch in it. And they said that they would fix it with the disc doctor and see if I can get my stuff back and fixed. I'm waiting, and if it takes long I'm gonna have to write those chapters again and I'll try my best to upload them in a week or so. And remember, this goes for both the stories, 'What happened to me' and 'New Life, New Beginnings.'

If you have any comments just drop me a line on sania082001@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Sania.


	5. Going Crazy...

New Life, New Beginnings by Sania

Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men. Please don't sue me.

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to upload but you know some things kinda got me from writing that I told you about and so…Any ways, Thanks for all the reviews, Flames are also welcomed :-)

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Chapter 5: Going Crazy

"So what you're saying is that she was held prisoner by the friends of humanity for a long period of time and still we never found out?" The team leader Cyclops concentrated on his plate not paying attention to his food while discussing with Beast on the dinner table with rest of the x-men. "But there might be some evidence we would have been able to pick on…So did you figure out any signs of active mutation yet?"

"The fascinating thing that I found out by the tests we took is that her power is both physically and mentally active. We'll take some time to take out the collar though, because doing that right now out might be risky." Beast took a spoon full of beans in his mouth staring into the space with the idea that he just thought of.

"I don't think it would be a good idea to take her out of the cell, what do you think?" Since the day of the arrival of the new mutant, Scott's mind wasn't really stable with the thousand questions appealing in his mind.

"Well as far as I'm concerned with her condition, her minor injuries need to be treated out of the cell, and she needs rest to fully recover, but that child is hardly co-operating. So we'll just keep her there for a little more while." Hank stated knowing about her condition from the recent operation he had attempted on the girl.

"C'mon monsieur Hank, you wouldn' wanna keep a girl in dat cell who had been wit' de Fohs for five goddam years and dan been in de whole mess togeth'er wit' her leg bitten by de dog, besides dat chere is too damn *hot* to be kept in dat cell, neh?" Gambit interrupted in the middle of the important conversation and left no chance of pissing Scott off.

Scott's eyes shot into Gambit's red on black ones. "Gambit-if I'm not mistaken you were the one who caused all the trouble. By the way what the hell were you too doing over there in the town especially around _midnight _when I had put you guys on Red alert?" He took a deep breath to continue.

__

Here we go again…Gambit didn't pay attention to a single word and was playing with his food in the plate until he got kicked under the table by Jubilee beside him.

Scott's tolerance broke this time and keeping his fork down he started shouting. "This is the sixth time I'm telling you people to stay on alert when I tell you to! Do you have any idea how much trouble you have caused these past two days?! The entire t.v news has nothing but rumors about what happened that night. I'll have a talk with the professor about your unnecessary extra curricular activities when he comes back from his conference on saturday." 

Scott was standing now. Suppressed giggles coming from the corner of the table where Jubilee and Bobby sat, caught everybody's attention. Scott glared them with gritted teeth and just then Beast spoke up.

"Ahem, I think we should take it easy and let go of what happened. Jean dear, how about you come with me to the lab so that we can do something about the recent tests." Beast rose from his chair and headed out of the dining room.

Jean sitting beside Scott also got up; keeping a hand at his shoulder she kissed him slightly on the cheek. "Scott, it's ok, just calm down, I don't know why do you create so much panic for such little things. So I'll meet you in the danger room, k?" After that she followed Beast leaving a blushing Scott.

"Oooh, _Touche_…" Gambit who was now leaning over the table with a fork in his hand whispered in a husky tone trying to distract Wolverine from his food that he was busy in. 

"What?" Scott's firm voice got caught in his throat now, not trying to argue more. Wolverine shed his claws under the table muttering something at the same time quieting them both.

*****

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!" The feminine scream got both Wolverine and Gambit to jump from their seats in the t.v lounge. 

"That was Jeanie."

" t'ink dat came from de cell…" 

"That's what I thought Cajun." Wolverine and gambit got on their feet and a split second were running down the hall.

*****

--Outside the Cell--

Beast was standing outside the cell with numerous lab instruments thrown all around him. 

"What's the matter Beast? Where's Jean?" Wolverine gruffed concerned voice startled Beast from his defensive position.

Beast, hesitant and with wide eyes spoke, "Uh-I believe she's in there…Our new mutant is getting a little ballistic, nothing to be created panic on." Another medical tray came flying from the cell and bumped on gambit's head who hadn't really expected it and then rubbed his head with his hand. "Owww! What de hell…"

"What?! Ya left Jean in there?! I'm goin' to fix that kid real good." He went in the cell shedding the metallic claws ready to kill knowing that Jean was in there. However, like always, his aggressiveness made him forget that Jean had her powers and Rogue being just a helpless girl could do nothing.

"How 'bout we go in dere.." With that Gambit folded the long hanging sleeves of his shirt and entered the cell. _No doubt dat girl is a whole lot of problem dan I t'ought but if wolverine lays a hand on de girl, dere's goin' t' be a danger room session right now right here._

Jean was crouched in a corner holding her hands onto her forehead. In the other corner Rogue was standing on one leg unsteadily against the wall. Her face covered with a frown and huge pools of crystal water in her eyes. Gambit and Logan went up to Jean. Logan, took her hand and she stood up revealing a sigh. 

"You ok, jean?" Wolverine's concern was obvious to her as he led her out of the cell and she suddenly took her hand away from his.

"Yeah I'm fine. I don't know what in the world happened to her. Hank only wanted to give her a shot and when she saw the syringe in his hand; that was when she got violent. She started throwing all the syringes and tubes and everything Hank had with him." She spoke all of that in one breath trying to take the tension off of herself. Beast just sat there on a chair shaking his head agreeing to what she said.

"She's just a kid. It'll take some damn time fer her to take her head outta the past." Logan's claws went back to their original place. Jean and Beast stared at him with confusion. 

Jean suddenly asked, "How can you say that?" 

"Don't have time fer explanations, but I've got the slightest idea of what she might've been through." He went back to the cell.

Rogue screamed in the cell as gambit took more steps near her. Her injured leg was curled up behind her thigh and wild tendrils of her hair fell on the face that was darkened by a frown. "Ah'm telling yah Cajun, yah take one more step neah me… remembuh that blow in the balls? This tahme, it's gonna be a harder one!"

"Well you might be right about dat chere. But dis time, dat's not gonna happen, sorry." He winked his eyebrows at Rogue moving one step closer. He stretched out his hand to see if she would accept his offer, but being too stubborn she refused the offer and gave him a warning by widening her green eyes. 

"What exactly do y' want me t' do?! Hunh? Tell me!" Rogue wasn't about to give up, the thought and the images of the syringe that hank was about to use to give her a shot brought her right back to her past, where she had to face the worst tremors of her life.

This time, Gambit looked at her seriously. "Jus' want you t' go t' bed, dat's all." He pointed to the small bed located in the corner of the cell.

No matter what he said, she wasn't going to listen. "Oh yeah? So that they can poke needles in mah skin?! Ah don' want 'em, no no no!"

Remy felt like laughing at the moment that he was seeing a young girl acting worse than a child. He made one more step and caught hold of her arm slightly jerking her forward and she easily became his target. Rogue was smart enough to turn around and getting on both feet, she elbowed him in the lungs with all the force she had. Not having super or even normal strength did effect her majorly, but when the time came, her time with Mystique and the training came in most handy.

She dodged off coming up right behind him and Gambit linked one of his leg through hers to make her fall, instead they both were on the ground on a close distance. If it wasn't for her injured leg, she would have easily escaped. Gambit made an effort to get up on his knees around the mess._ Damn it, Remy le beau, de master of t'ieves can't control a girl? Where de hell is Logan?_

"Got a problem Cajun?" Wolverine was standing behind him with a smug on his face.

__

Ah, just de guy I was lookin' for. "Nope, well it's notin', I can handle her." He got up on his feet standing up firmly.

"I can see that." Logan raised an eyebrow at Rogue whose eyes were shut wincing with pain and hands tightly grabbed the bandaged wound on the leg. She tried to stand up but as soon as she unbalanced, Logan got a hold of her hands and her feet were on the ground now. Gambit knew Logan's eyes told him to go and get Beast, and so he did.

"Why are y' doin' this t' me?" She looked with uncertainty in his eyes urging the fiercely, wild animal inside of him sinking down and bringing a new mask of kindness on his face.

"You'll find that out later, just need yer help fer a damn second here." Logan told her and looked to the place where Gambit and Beast arrived with a handful of medical instruments.

"No…Please don't, it hurts, please." She started to pull her arms out of his hands trying to run but he wouldn't let her and she twisted her hands terribly to get out when Beast came almost near them. Logan then trying to be careful set her on the floor to make sure she wouldn't do anything.

__

Remy don' t'ink dis is gonna be good. Gambit just kneeled down beside them where Beast prepared the syringe and tested the needle pushing it outwards from the injector.

Beast leaned down on Rogue and gently took her arm which was held by Wolverine's hand, and he slightly injected the needle through her white flesh. 

"No! Please… Mama…help meh." With those few words, she dozed off in Logan's arms and Gambit slightly pulled the messy white tendrils away from her face stroking the soft skin.

"Shhh, it's gonna be a'right." Gambit let out and exasperating sigh and both Logan and he left the cell when Hank did his work.

To be continued…

*****

Note: I did not keep a lot in this chapter because I want the story to be lengthy. 

Coming up next: Rogue gets out of the cell, talks to Storm and Remy and a lot of things happen. Please Review!


	6. Double Minded...

New Life, New Beginnings by Sania

Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men. Please don't sue me.

Author's Note:  **_I LOVE your reviews people! Thanks!_**

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Chapter 6: Double Minded

"So how is she doing?" Scott placed the coffee mug down on the kitchen table pulling a chair out and sat on it.

"She's better. Storm's with her in the med bay right now." Jean sat beside him trying to get her hand into the cookie jar.

"You know what Jean, I've got a bad feeling about this." Scott looked out of the window from his place, sipping on his coffee.

"About what?" Jean didn't pay close attention to what he said.

"Y'know about this new mutant….What's her name…" 

Jean frowned at Scott's tensed face. "Rogue? What about her?" 

"Jean. I just have this feeling that the girl is a problem." 

Putting, the jar back on the table, she sighed. "C'mon Scott, what could she possibly do? And there are so many things to do, I mean professor isn't here, and he will talk to her, plus Hank's gonna tell us about her powers. So what is it that's bothering you?"

"That's the main point. Because the more Hank tells us about her past and what she has been doing, the more I get clues that I've known her, somewhere."

Jean raised her eyebrows at him and shook her head. Scott knew what was coming from his wife, all those lines that she had been lecturing him that he should calm down and shouldn't panic etc.

*****

"But why did you escape? You tangled yourself into so many problems." Storm sat behind Rogue in the infirmary on the medical bed. She brushed the silky heavy strands of auburn hair flowing with moonlit white stripes.

"Y'know aftuh ah kissed Cody, mah dad started hittin' me. 'Cuz y'know he said that he wanted t' get the evil outta me. There might have been a chance o' meh being safe if an' only mah momma was there. Anyway he locked me up the room an' one night ah jumped from the bedroom window. So ah ran until ah reached a lonely town. There one o' the Cody's cousins recognized me and that's when ah got in trouble. Those bastards, Friends of humanity took me and held me there." She paused to take a breath and didn't see Storm arch her eye brow from their place.

"My…child, your hair is beautiful." Storm twisted her hair into a neat and long braid that fell just below her waist.

Rogue gave a pitiful smile. "Thanks. It's amazin' cuz y'know a person wouldn' have a single hair on her head, if she would be drugged four fahve times a day."

"What did they do to you?" Storm looked played with the ends of her braid twirling them around.

"Ah dunno, jus' used t' give me shots and ah always passed out. Well y'know they kept me there cuz they took me when ah was eleven yeahs old…an' now ah'm nineteen. But then y'know this other mutant group saved me..Ah hope you wouldn't mind if ah don't feel comfortable tellin' you the rest of it, ah mean ah could talk to Professor Xavier?" Rogue quickly kept a long n slim finger nail to her pink lips.

"Of course not, it's ok if you talk to Professor about it privately." Ororo gave her a genuine smile which encouraged Rogue.

"But ya see, ah chose so many wrong paths, and the ones that had the most dangerous methods t'cross, but now it's turnin' out right-ah guess. Lakh ah was in so much trouble the night ah came here until ah met that guy. Umm what's his name, Gambit?" 

"Y'can always call him Remy if y' want to." 

Both of the women looked up to see Remy leaning against the door frame of the infirmary. Storm rolled her eyes at Remy who grinned mischievously pissing the hell out of Rogue.

"Hi. I think my Remy has been pretty busy these days. Why are you standing there? Come inside." Ororo waved her hand at Remy motioning him to come inside.

Smiling charmingly Remy stepped in the room with one hand at his back. He leaned on the sitting Ororo and embraced her briefly in his arms. Rogue noticed one of his hands at the back held a cigarette. He respected her as an elder and a sister, so to avoid long speeches from Ororo, Remy never smoked when Storm was around. "Awe chere, Remy can always take out time for his stormy…"

"Remy please, do not call me Stormy" Storm said smiling and frowning at the same time. Remy gave Ororo a wicked smile as she got up from her place and arranged back the bed covers, Rogue sank inside cozily.

"So How're _you doin' chere?" Remy stood by her bed side winking her, knowing fully that she could go crazy anytime like the last time she was out of their control._

"Ah'm doin' fine." Replying curtly to him, her hands fidgeted terribly around her neck to get the inhibitor collar out. "'cept this. When is he goin' t' take this pretty lil' necklace outta mah neck?"

"Who?" 

"Umm that scary blue guy." 

Remy chuckled at her description of the person. "You're talkin' about Hank 'cuz he's de only _scary blue guy runnin' around de house."_

"You know who Ah'm talkin' 'bout so stop askin' meh questions." Rogue faced him sternly.

_Y' know what chere, it has been quiet a long time since Remy heard a crazy southern accent, one like dis._ He was about to say something but he thought that doing so would not be such a good idea. _Better not say anyt'in or else she's gonna scoop your eyes out le beau._

"Well chere, It's me who's goin' t' take dat collar out of _your pretty lil' neck_, so no need worryin' 'bout it."

"Hell no swamp rat!" This time, Rogue smiled with a cute grin on her face.

Ororo laughed and gathered a few things and made sure that Remy wouldn't do anything funny with the new girl as she stepped out of the door. "Rogue, I'm going now because I have to be somewhere in time. Remy listen, do not try something funny with her because you have no idea what I can do... understood?"

"What, you're gonna kick ma ass? I'm not _dat lucky chere to get my ass kicked by de all mighty so called-weather goddess."_

Storm rolled her eyes at him.

"Ah can take care o' mahself." Rogue said with a sly smile that lit up the bulbs on Remy's face.

"Still he's here so that you're ok. Later, Remy." Ororo stepped out of the door, as soon as she got out, Remy went and closed the door locking it behind him. 

"So…" Remy slowly came forward and gave her a grin that he knew would make her angrier. _Don' know what Remy does so bad that pisses her off. Let's see if she gets scared... _He folded the sleeves of his trench coat a little and as he inched closer to her bed, she stared challengingly widening her eyes.

"Remy t'inks you need a complete check up, chere." Remy took Hanks stethoscope and started playing with it in his hands.

"Why don' you go an' get one yoahself an' then come up t' me." Rogue tugged a white bang beside her ear not even showing the slightest smile on her face.

"C'mon chere, scared so soon? It's not like I'm gonna bite you or somethin', just a 'lil check up." He leaned on the large table type of bed Rogue was laying on and he looked her sideways taking a long drag of cigarette.

"Oh yeah?" She pushed the comforter away from her body and started to get up from her reclining position. "Le' meh show you...you..." As she was about to jump from the bed, a nervous Remy pushed her back on the bed recalling what Storm had said.

"Easy girl! I was jus' kiddin'. No need t' be gettin' aggressive at such little t'ings. You need t' calm down, ya know." He pushed her back in the covers not at all annoyed by her action, but tried to show that he was angry.

"Hello!" Hank cheerfully entered the room with a clip board in his hand. She looked in frustration at Hank and then back to Remy who casually went and leaned on the other side of the room trying to show that nothing happened.

Hank came towards Rogue who held her breath and didn't flinch when he kept his gigantic hand on her forehead to check her fever. Again Remy smiled at her childishness. "Am I interrupting? Or did I miss something?"

Rogue kept her eyes in Remy's direction. "No. Everythin's fine." Remy winked but straightened his face when Hank looked at him in doubt.

"I'm sure Gambit here disturbed you, didn't he?" Hank started working on some files and papers beside her bed.

Quickly pushing his cigarette into the railing of the window, Remy raised his hands trying to seem innocent. "You t'ink Remy would do a thing like dat? O'course not. Chere here don' believe dat Remy be an expert in pickin' locks and he's goin' to take dat t'ink outta her _pretty 'lil neck_." 

Rogue glared at him, but he didn't have any affect on him. _Ah swear Cajun, the second ah get this colluh out, you're gonna regret it cuz ah'm gonna twist that pretty 'lil neck o' yours with mah own hands._

Remy pointed his hand towards her neck which was surrounded by an inhibitor collar. Although Remy kept on joking the whole time, he felt sorry for her that people could be so cruel to not only keep her in prison for such a long time, but even hurt such a person. He hadn't seen anything and didn't even know a single thing about her, but he had an idea how it must have felt. Lonely, helpless and afraid. Just like he had once when he was all by himself, on the streets. He knew that the x-men would help her. _I over heard Storm talkin' to her 'bout her past, but I missed de details. She was talkin' 'bout how de friends o' humanity caught her. Dey obviously hurt 'er but I hope dose bastards didn' *do anyt'ing* to her. You can expect *anytin'* from dem. First she's a girl, second she's a mutant, and third she's beautiful. But I don' t'ink dey did 'cuz she would've been loosin' 'er mind right now. T'ank goodness. _

"Oh yes my dear, Gambit holds expert skill in picking locks and all kinds of complicated security systems. I believe this is the right way to do it because the other option is to unlock it through electric shock, just small ones but I don't think that would be suitable at this situation." Hank said all that without looking at Rogue or Remy.

"Goin' t' get an _electric shock_ anyway...probably more stingin'." He came up, stood beside Hank, and purposely murmured that, audible enough to be heard by Rogue.

Taking the best opportunity when Hank wasn't looking, Rogue pulled down Remy by the arm and whispered in his ear. When he got closer to her, he inhaled the soft musk of her body with a seductive smile creeping up on his attractive face. "Don' worry shugah, Ah'll be gettin' mah powers soon an' then Ah'll show ya how an electric shock feels. Ah could give it t' you raght now, but you don' wanna spoil yoah already bad reputation in front o' Hank, do ya?"

Remy then stared in her eyes with one of his eyebrow arched and his lips into a teasing smile. He could see her face with a slight smile with a hint of anger, and her eyes gazing into him as if she is going to attack him like a wild animal.

"Oooh boy, no t'anks.." Remy quickly turned as Hank suddenly stopped in the middle, and took off his specs when he looked at Remy with a frown on his face.

"Have you been smoking in my lab?"

_Ooops._Remy had forgotten that Beast had called Remy a few days ago to disarm the smoke detector so that he and Wolverine could get used to not to smoke anywhere in the mansion. "O'course not."

Beast looked at him suspiciously trying to find some clue but then returned to his work.

"Liar."Rogue barely whispered the words to Remy, who pretended that he didn't hear them, but figured out what she said. Instead he grinned at her mischievously.

Beast rudely interrupted his thoughts that had started to build up in Remy's mind. "Gambit I have to assure you that this task is not an easy one. You must take out the collar extremely carefully." Beast said that without telling him the reasons. Cyclops, Jean, Storm and Beast had a meeting last night and they had amazingly found out about the new mutant's powers.

Remy got up from his place and went to Beast adjusting his black shades that suited his face perfectly. As he went and started touching different instruments kept on the table, Rogue stared at him suspiciously. _Why the hell is he wearing shades indoors? Such a show off..._

"C'mon, you t'ink Remy can' do dat? Dis one's a lolly pop 'cept dat it needs very minute and small tools to be disarmed."

"That might be a Lolly pop or whatever you want to call it. But her unusual mutation can be a real danger to you." Beast did not regret after saying the last lines, he certainly didn't know how it felt when a person couldn't touch another human being.

_How the hell do they know 'bout mah powers? Huh..they must've figured it out, aftuh all they are the all mighty The x-men. _She rolled her eyes and mocked them inside of her mind. But a part of her mind was suddenly surrounded by a glimpse of painful memories. How is she going to react with her powers reactivating after a long time? When she was imprisoned by the Friends of humanity for such a long period, she had forgotten to get scared of her powers. The advanced technology of the inhibitor collars had prevented her from making skin contact with anybody.

Remy spoke without looking at Rogue in the corner of the room. "Why? What's wrong wit' 'er powers?"

"It is sort of difficult to understand. Well, she can absorb another person's life through skin to skin contact, even through the slightest touch. And the person cannot only go in a coma, he or she might die as well. She has _no control over them." Beast took out some x-rays from a file, raised them up into the light and started looking through them._

_Happy t' hear that? Rogue managed a bitter smile to herself. It bothered her that they both talked as if there was no body else in the room except the two of them._

"So y'mean dat she can't touch nobody?" Remy frowned trying to make sense of what came out of his mouth. He hadn't really heard about a mutation like this before.

Beast glanced at Rogue for less than five seconds and turned to his work, it was obvious that he felt uncomfortable talking about her mutation with her sitting there quietly. "Unfortunately you're right. That is the reason I preferred not to take out her suppression collar because her injuries needed to be treated severely, and luckily we found out about her mutation and we didn't take any risks to take out the collar."

While Beast talked, Remy's eyes shifted towards Rogue who leaned back on the pillows with tears….in her eyes? She just sat there with crystal water shadowing the green eyes like reflection of lush green trees in a lake. She looked tired. Absently, Rogue traced the lines of her hand as the tears controlled themselves from coming out. "Yeah-that's how Ah got mah super strength and flight. You don' know how much _fun it's t' have a powuh like this."_

"Yeah I can guess dat." Remy tried to give her a wicked smile and just wandered his eyes over what Beast was working on and he started picking up things. 

_"Hank, this is Cyclops. I want you in conference room right now, please." _

The voice came from Beast's com badge echoing through the room. Rogue was on the bed playing with a thread in her fingers, her eyes focused it but her mind was some where else.

"I believe there is nothing more important than what I am doing because I am in the middle of__"

"Hank Please, What _I'm saying is important. Everything can be dealt with later on. In the conference Room." Hank took his hand away from his badge and shook his head as he rapped up his pile of files and adjusted them into a drawer._

"Since you're here chere, let me tell you dat, here's notin' more important except what Cyke says, so make sure dat you do everyt'in' he says, no?" Remy directed his thumb towards the door winking at her. Hank went out of the door.

"Ah don' give a fu---uh…Lakh ah'm stayin' heah." Rogue didn't look at him but her eyes were sharp enough with much hatred so that Remy looked at her confusingly.

She pushed his limit and Remy's temper reached its peak. _What's her problem? "Hey y' better watch it, 'cuz everybody here is tryin' t' help you, dey don' have you in chains or somet'ing so quit your whinin'."_

As soon as Remy spoke, he realized that it was harsh. He held his breath that any minute she'd scream at the top of her lungs but unfortunately she didn't do so, he would have felt better if she did. Remy cursed at himself and dared to look at her in the eyes. 

Her lips were tight and clear green eyes stared into his. She knew she could just snap at him but the hurt she felt just now stopped her from shouting at him. "Y' know what, jus' go. Jus' leave meh alone."

Regretting that he shouldn't have said that, and not knowing what to do, Remy turned off the lights and went out of the room shutting the door silently behind him.

*****

Jean chewed on her lip as she focused her eyes at everyone's tensed face in the room. Cyclops stood behind where his wife sat. Before he proceeded Jean spoke. "How about you talk to the professor again?"

Sighing he frowned. "Why aren't you understanding this? Professor is so sure about it. I mean he is the one who's taking decision for this one. I mean there's no point arguing about it when it's finalized."

"I took out as much as I could from her profile. Here are the files." Beast rose and slid the folder to Cyclops. 

 "I know. But the problem is that Professor is letting her stay here. I can't believe him sometimes. But you see he has obviously thought over it and decided it because he probably knows the reason behind letting an x-villain stay with the x-men." Cyclops paused to look at her profile page.

"That's her real name?" Everybody looked at each other while he arched his eyebrows reading though the files.

"As far as I could get to her history, I believe that's what they used to call her, it's probably a code name."

"_They?" Knowing that already, Ororo picked on a clue everybody had been waiting for to be detailed by Beast or Cyclops._

"He's referring to Mystique." Cyclops frustration was noticed by everyone. Nobody seemed so sure to have a person in their house who had hurt one of their own.

"I think we should compromise, I mean what happened in the past is already gone, besides who knows the history behind her powers and her time with the brother hood of evil?" Everybody's heads jerked towards Storm.

Remy didn't feel right, probably because he knew how it felt when somebody was judged for a crime that they had no choice for. "I don' t'ink you should judge her for her crimes we don' really know 'bout. I've made mistakes before and y' guys let me in. Maybe she did too, who knows?"

"Remy's right…"

"Hell no 'Ro, No way the kid is goin' t'stay here after she sucked up a whole full flesh woman with only two hands, and now she's got some other goddam powers." Wolverine barked remembering how it felt when they had heard about Miss Marvel's life taken by a Mutant who was probably six to eight years younger than her.

"Logan! I believe this is not our right to judge a person for her actions. The professor knows better than all of us, so we better not indulge in and decide her future." Ororo's voice ringed in the huge conference room of the mansion.

"Listen 'Ro, She _killed Carol, when Carol was on a mission with some other mutant group, it ain't gonna matter now just 'cuz she will make damn excuses for __killing a person." Wolverine would have snapped at the person if he or she was somebody else, but since she was Ororo he just let it go by murmuring that._

Remy relaxed his back on the comfy leather chair and rested his arms over his head. He started looking around smiling at people's comments that they always thought they were the most innocent people even after being mutants. "Let's don't forget dat everyone, maybe not everyone but most o' us have done some serious crimes in de past, includin' you Mon'ami." He turned looked around so that his words were not directly forward towards Logan.

"YOU were not here when Carol got hurt so Cut the crap Cajun…"

Cyclops hit the file from his hands to the table loud enough to quiet everybody down. "Enough! I did not call the x-men here to point at everyone's past mistakes. All I want to discuss and assure you guys is that the new mutant, according to Jean and Beast…Rogue has been with the Brotherhood of mutants for quite a period. She spent her early years with Mystique. How the Friends of Humanity got hold of her for such a long time? I don't know. But Professor has told me that she will become a member of the x-men."

"But what if she don' wan' to? Gambit shuffled the cards in his hands. His mind drifted back for a second, he remembered he had snapped at her for being bitter at everything they told her, even though it was not his right to say anything.

"First I don't think she would want to go. Second, professor is trying to get us to convince her to stay here. Well that's about it." Cyclops ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh causing Jean to stand up beside him.

"Everybody is dismissed. Beast, you've taken care of the inhibitor, haven't you?

Everybody started to get up from his and her place while Beast talked to Cyclops. "Yes Cyclops. I've assisted Gambit for this Job and I'm heading there with him right now."

"Ok make sure everything's alright."

"No problem, I'll take care of it."

Bobby headed out with Jubilee who was quiet during the meeting. "I don't think she's gonna cause any problems like somebody else would do, she looks pretty cute to me. So I'm oooo-k with it."

"With you of course Popsicle Boy! 'Cuz she's a girl… But seriously, I don't care." Jubilee rolled her eyes as they walked out of the automatic metallic doors of the large room. "Have you talked to her though?" She added.

Bobby popped a chewing gum into his mouth. "Nope not yet, Hank, and Jean are not letting us in, may be they will, in a little while. Hey you're in for a basketball game just for chillin' out?"

Later, they both went out for a basket ball game.

Remy ran and went beside Ororo, who was walking towards the women's wing. He came in front of the stopping her suddenly.

"Hey 'Ro, can I talk t' you for a minute or two?" 

Ororo dropped her arms on her sides and got herself ready to here his nonsense. "Yes Remy, just make it quick. I have to go somewhere."

"A'right" Remy paused to take a breath and scratched his hair trying to put the words in his mind into his mouth. "Y'see, I did somet'ing I shouldn' have." He raised his eyebrows giving her time to get curious about what he was going to say.

She studied the frown on his face. Her own features took the look of worry. "What is it? Did you have a fight with Logan? Or Cyclops? Tell me what happened?"

"Y'know dat new girl, Rogue I--I kinda got mad at her." He gave her a disappointed smile.

"What do you mean you got 'mad' at her? I don't believe you hit her, and you possibly wouldn't yell at a _gir- I mean I don't think you'd do that. So?" She felt stupid for mentioning that he would never treat a person harsh because she was a girl._

"No no. Well y'see she was mad at me over everyt'ing, when you told me take care o' her. She snapped at you too sayin' dat she could take care o'herself. An' just when Beast left, She got angry at me jus' cuz I said dat she'd had to stay here." Remy looked down at the ground thinking something, he didn't really take it too seriously as she was the going to be the newest member of the team and yet there were lots of arguments left to be discussed with her, but that was non of his business.

Ororo thought over it for minutes, knowing that there were going to be a few complications with the new person, so this was not at all serious but just a personal thing. "Oh I understand all this, but what did 'you' say?"

"I was kinda harsh 'cuz I told her dat nobody has her in chains or somet'ing and den… I asked her t' quit her whinin'. Dat's what I said."

"Oh my. You did? Well I would suggest that you should let the topic drop because the professor is already dealing with it. And just don't mess with her, I understand that you just play around but now, her wounds are fresh and she's a kid, so her crankiness will remain there until some time has passed."

"So I jus' go an' don' even apologize 'bout it?" Remy wasn't one of those people who would make a mistake, and blame it on the other's mistake. Acceptance of his fault was a quality that everyone loved about him.

"It is up to you. But don't make an issue out of that silly little mistake." She smiled warmly and scrunched his auburn strands in her hands for a second, just like someone would do to a little brother.

"T'anks a lot, Stormy, gotta go." Remy kissed her cheek and ran opposite her direction all the way down the hall.

*****

The small clock ticked its needle to 11:30. Rogue turned to the other side, shinny long tresses of auburn and white sliding across the pillow as she deepened her head on the soft pillow. Another sigh filled with boredom escaped her lips. Tonight she lay and thought of her life's timeline. The childhood, Cody's kiss, The bar, Friends of humanity, Mystique, again Foh's headquarters and finally the x-men. _How is life goin' t' be easy with meh, when everybody knows about mah past? How am Ah goin' to mix in with the people when they know what Ah did t' their friend? Mystique, why did ya have t' fool meh like that? It's all 'cuz o' you. How am Ah supposed to ask for help from the x-men when ah killed their own? Ah don' know where am Ah gonna go now? Ah reckon it's bettuh if ah talk to professor and stay here…if they let me._

Click. The door opened silently and somebody walked in the equally dark and pin-drop-silent room. Rogue stayed under blankets trying to take mind guesses of who could that be.

"Ah'm awake, whoever it is can turn on the lights."

The lights brightened and Rogue jumped from her laying position. The guy she had seen and talked to, Gambit also known as Remy stood with his hands in coat, everything fine but the eyes…red on black. Shocked in her sitting form, she stared at his eyes. She got scared at first but during her time with Mystique, she had seen Blue skin, purple eyes, and orange teeth. And now what she could say was _wow._

"What? You be lookin' at my eyes as if they're red or blue or somet'ing! Haven't you seen a pair of red eyes before?" Remy sarcastically smiled hoping that she would have some reaction.

In fact, she gave the most beautiful smile ever with her green eyes sparkling at night. _May be it's lookin' like dat 'cuz I haven't seen her smile from the first time I saw her, besides de **first time I talked properly to her was dis evenin' an' dat's when I scolded her. Damn I sound like a big brother!**_

"So y' finally revealed the truth behind those shades hunh? Yoah eyes don' look too bad t' meh then why do y' wear shades in the light?"

Remy noticed that her mood had lightened a little bit, at least she had a smile on her face that he saw for the first time. "O' dat, my eyes are sensitive to light so I gotta wear 'em to avoid any sort of irritation." He came closer and sat beside her slightly off from the bed. He watched as Rogue slid her hand through front whites and tugged the hair behind her ears.

She looked at him in disgust as he lit up a cigarette and put it in between his lips. "Ew, why do you do that?"

"What?" Remy didn't know why he played around with Rogue like that, not that he never flirted with any woman he met, But he just liked her sudden stubbornness, short angry replies, and childishness. 

"Smoke, obviously." She tilted her head.

"Takes my mind off o' things that depress me." Remy took another drag and exhaled the smoke on the other side trying to not to blow it on her face.

"That's bullshit."

Remy gave her a charming smile arching one of his eyebrows. "I won't do it if you don't want me to." 

_Mah oh Mah, what a flirt. Ah guess ah haven't seen many guys who're at same time handsome, charming and shameful flirts. Anyways…Rogue reached and with her fingers, she very calmly took out the cigarette from his lips._

_Woah! That was a quick move. Rogue would take a drag herself, was Remy's thought. Instead, she extinguished it on the side of the table and tossed it into the trash can beside her bed. "There, sugah."_

"You know why I'm here, no?" Remy's sudden serious expression startled her.

She looked down brushing away her bangs trying to get busy in things. "Yeah, t' take this damn thing off."

Remy looked at her in awe surprise. "If I were you I wouldn't be sittin' here sayin' _damn to dis collar."_

"Gambit, You just met me ah don' know like, two days ago or somethin' and you're tellin' me what ta do. Ah don' know if ah'm gonna stay here but _you brought meh here, and __you're gonna let meh go. You don' even have a single idea that ah've been in so much pain 'cuz of this. So jus' take this thing off an' ah'll break this into pieces." Her words were filled with anger but her face didn't support her showing her anger, minutes were passing and Remy knew she would burst into tears._

Remy took her chin by his hand and made her eyes stare into his own. "Look chere, ignoring everyt'ing is not goin' to solve your problem. Forcin' you to stay here is none o' my business, so I'm just askin' if you're sure to take it out 'cuz I know you got a power dat is not a_ gift. And about you gettin' hurt 'cuz of this piece of shit… I'll __explode it into pieces." He took out a playing card from his coat and held it away from her into the air. The card turned into a golden glow and __*poof* it exploded into shreds of paper and slowly started to fall on the floor._

Remy was impressed by the animated delight on Rogue's face as if she was a little girl and had seen magic. "Cool, That's yoah power…_neh?" _

Now it was Remy's turn to return the smile at her light flirtation. "Yeah_ yoah raght sugah!" _

The shy smile that she gave, her head tilted a little to the side with the white and auburn silk falling into her green eyes was driving him crazy now.

"So you're up to it, chere?" The question suddenly popped out of Remy's mouth.

_Oops. Remy knew this would come. He had seen the tears in her eyes, but now they were actually falling, very fast. Keeping both of hands on her face, she wept heavily like a little girl with hick- ups, not caring that he was watching her._

_Damn damn damn! How to stop her?? Think of something, quick Remy. If you reach out, she's gonna freak out. So..so..ok dat's it! He grabbed a tissue box from the night stand and taking out four five tissues, he gave them to her._

"Take dese. Cry as much as you wan'. Let me know when you when you're done, 'k?" He just thought that those words might encourage her a little because the only option he had was to hold her but applying to it would be _big mistake, she could get a panic attack __anytime._

Rogue took them and wiped her eyes with her fists. "Thanks." To his surprise she even gave a nod.

_What happened to de rough-tough girl now? I knew dat de fragile girlie girl would come out of her anytime soon. She sniffled and looked at him with wet, deep reddish brown eyelashes. "Ah'm ready now."_

All she got was a casual thumbs up and then…Remy leaned and gave her a soft peck on the cheek where a bruise happened to marked, certainly it embarrassed him that unfortunately _his fist was the one to leave such sign. A pleasant smile was what he got in return._

As soon as Remy stood up from his place, the door cracked open and Beast walked in happily. _Woah, great timing Beast!_

Beast cleared his throat and stated, "So Remy, I believe our friend here is healthy enough to get her inhibitor collar out. Rogue, what do you think?"

"Remy t'inks she's ready." 

"Then do it." Rogue gave a firm nod. She didn't know whether she was happy or sad to be free once again. Of course, she couldn't touch anyone, but at least not being able to touch anyone was better than to be touched the way the Friends of humanity had hurt her. All she got from that was years of her life locked up into a cell being a lab rat, stinging sensation of the poisonous injections and verbal humiliations by those brutal friends of humanity. But somewhere in the corner of her mind, she had a feeling that she could lead to a new start, which wouldn't be so bad.

*****

Note: Next? Rogue talks to the professor, shows off her powers, and a lot more…Don't forget to review to tell me how's it going! And yeah, I wrote this new Christmas fic "Forgiven on Christmas" on Rogue/Remy, I thought you guys might want to read it. :)


	7. Difficult Decision...

New Life, New Beginnings by Sania *I was bored by my nick/pen name on it so finally I changed it to my REAL name: **Samman. (Remember Sania…_me as Samman so that you don't get confused every time)._**

Disclaimer:** I don't own the x-men (comics) , neither do I own the characters but the story is mine.**

Author's Note:** I'm back with another delayed chapter on Rogue/Remy in 'New life new Beginnings'. Two much homework and After-school activity.**

-Sorry Everybody- 

(Samman blushes embarrassingly) 

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Chapter 7: Difficult Decision

"I'm tellin' ya, no fuckin' way she's gonna stay in this house. Either she's out or I'm gonna make 'er go out the easy way--"

"Logan--Getting angry and abusive will not help you or me much just like it never did--"

"Your goody goody leader ass 's not gonna help YOU or ME much- just like it never did—so _she who fuckin' killed Carol will getthehellouto'thishouse." _

"How many t--"

"Cyclops and Wolverine! Watch yourselves!" Ororo's voice cut them off sharply and quickly. She was not angry because she could understand the on-going problem in the mansion since the new mutant had arrived. 

Scott stood before the danger-room's simulation practice area. He had just shut off the simulated program when he saw Wolverine knocking down robots violently. 

And now, one standing inside the practice-room and one standing outside, both were continuously arguing until Storm had stopped them. She spoke again. "I cannot believe that you could act worst than two spoiled high-school kids. You are still arguing over it." 

Sighing she rolled her eyes sarcastically and continued. "Ofcourse, I mean what else could it be..The new mutant or I should say the 19-year old child who has no control over her power is disturbing two _adults who are experienced and have gone through these types of problems a thousand times before."_

"Yeah right- A 19-year old child who swallowed a super powerful mutant just with two hands and has done just simple lil' thin's fer example killing whoever she wanted t' an' stayin' with Mystique…What could be so bad about that teeny-weeny girlie hunh?" Logan mocked in a graceful tone mimicking Ororo. His voice echoed in the now empty practice area.

Scott sighed purposely and put one hand on his waist as he wiped off the sweat with the other. _Looks like she's the leader here-not me—na-a-a…They don't care about my decision. I mean He doesn't care about my decision so why the hell would they? Scott was still pissed off at Professor allowing Rogue to stay at the mansion and particularly not listening to him._

Now Logan had _really ticked Storm off, It showed on her face. His attitude with her these days was way out of limit. "Alright. If that is what you think. By the way I came here to stop all this nonsense because Professor is urgently arriving at five today." _

Ororo turned to Scott because she knew that now Scott was mad just because he was the 'all mighty fearless leader' and nobody was supposed to tell him what to do because he knew better than everyyyybody in the house.

"I think I was the one who got this news first so you shouldn't worry about that too much…Should you?" Scott voice was stern, but he tried to control his temper as Ororo was the co-leader and Professor had given her authority to point out the wrong and right.

Ororo looked at Scott confusingly. "For goodness sake Cyclops I did not mean to step in your way, I know you know better but I wanted to stop you two…because I know you are worried about the team…and I am worried about _you getting so panicked about what is happening." _

Right in front of them, inside the danger room, Logan stood with a tooth-pick between his teeth and a towel around his muscular neck. _Way to go 'Ro…She's worried and careful about nobody but ol' one eye here._

Scott moved his hands to stop her from saying anything else. _Ooops..oh__ my god..she's apologizing to me. I should be ashamed of myself…Shit… _

"Waaait a minute 'Ro. It's okay it's okay, I'm perfectly fine. It's not that I don't want your help, of course I do, you're the co-leader, it's your job. But You _know Professor not only wants Rogue to stay here and join the x-men but he's __forcing her to. I mean at this point he should be worried you know. She was a terrorist, for God's sake she worked with __Mystique. And the professor's still willing to take the risk to keep her here."_

Ororo flopped on the comfy chair and rotated it left and right.

"I am afraid I have to agree with you. I know that she is young but who knows that she will go touching around people in the mansion killing them-but then again she has been through so much pain why would she want to risk our and her own life? After all we are the one who helped her." 

Logan walked in the control room and the metallic doors slid shut. "Yeah right I wouldn'  've done it in a million years if I'd known who she was." His loud-angry-gruff voice did not disturb Ororo, she knew this would come.

Scott rubbed his temples for a second as he tried no to look at Logan in the eye. "In this case, I would agree with Logan."

"I do too, but what can we do? Professor must have thought over it, he cannot make an important decision just like that." Ororo snapped her fingers referring to 'just like that'.

She was disappointed at Xavier's decision too, How come Rogue would be trustworthy to live with the x-men after having most of her life spent with Mystique?

"Come on Storm, If he let a thief in--" Scott stuttered and stopped in the middle before he said anything else. He knew that Ororo was a thief long ago but that did not matter. 

What mattered was that she loved Gambit like a brother who had saved her life numerous times so it was obvious that she _hated everyone who even pointed a finger at him._

Ororo turned her chair and faced the computer screen as she shrugged noticeably.

_What the hell is her problem?! "I'm sorry 'Ro, I didn't mean to say that. I'm so frustrated that the Professor has stopped caring about my choice, he just doesn't count it."_

Wolverine smirked as he leaned against the other wall of the danger room, He looked at Ororo who sat at distance on the right and tried to ignore them by looking at the screen typing stuff.

"Ya don' have ta worry about it Cyke, 'Ro knows it just popped outta yer mouth without any reason." _Why should I be jealous of scooter, he already got Jean. Bastard._

"Logan just stop that _please." Ororo said without glancing towards him._

"Whatever ya say 'Ro." The smirk Logan had on his face grew wider, he sure was having fun annoying both Scott and Ororo. 

"I figured you'd mind. Oh well, thanks for coming Ororo. I'll meet you when Professor arrives, bye." Scott punched in the number and the door slid open. He didn't forget to glare at Logan for one last time before he left.

"You are most welcome." Ororo said to herself and did not concentrate on Logan who just kept on staring at her to get on her nerves because he knew she would never get mad in front of him. 

*****

"Ah know. It's just…so strange, ah haven't had mah powers foh a long time." Rogue sat on the bed and stared at her hands wide eyed.

Jean looked at her and shook her head again. "Listen Rogue, like I've told you before, there's nothing wrong with you now, and we've also checked that you have retained your power now, absorption one. The only thing left now is your power test with Professor Xavier."

Rogue's aggravation didn't go away as there were still questions left in her mind. "What 'bout the super strength and flyin'?" Jean drew the drapes away and the bright morning light came out of the window beside the medical bed.

"You still have it. Any other questions?" Jean's teeth were clenched. _There are a lot of people in the house.. __Why did the Professor pick **me to beg her to stay here?! **_

_She came and sat on the chair beside Rogue. Pausing for a minute to think before what she was going to say, Jean started cautiously. "Rogue, do you have any idea what you're going to do after you get out? I'm sure you have given it a thought."_

Rogue picked up the water bottle from the table, took a drink and timidly responded. "Yeah Ah've been thinkin'…an' Ah'm not sure if Ah wanna stay heah…or if yoah willin' to let me stay heah. Jus' le' me go outta this room and Ah'll be gone for good pleeeease." She begged like a child. 

Jean looked at her with fake astonishment. "Rogue…Do you have any idea what you're saying? The x-men have always helped everybody and I'm sure we will help you too. Today the Professor is coming and you'll talk to him, he's coming particularly to have a session with you to observe your powers as _he believes you'll soon be an x-man."_

As her eyes pooled with tears, Rogue looked down at her covered hands again. "Ah dunno. Ah won' lie t' you cuz ah haven't had less problems with the Friends of Humanity so Ah'm not sure if Ah wanna leave right away…plus having killed… Ms….Ms… Marvel with mah own hands who was yoah…yoah friend isn't helpin' much either." She bit her lip of what Jean's reaction would be to this.

Jean straightened up uneasily and sat right up. "I don't know about that, but for now, you'll stay until Professor has a session with you. And yes, I hope you don't mind but you're going to have to know how to face consequences of what you've done, because living with the x-men is not going to be a piece of cake after what you did to Carol." 

Jean paused to meet Rogue's teary eyes that were downcast. "I'm sorry if I sounded harsh but that was just for your help sweetie." She gave Rogue another fake smile that was plastered on her face 24/7 and got up. "Rogue- I'm sure this is hard on you, but another thing, all locks and walls of this room are secured to super strength and flying so make sure you don't try anything that might get you hurting in the end and Professor sure doesn't want to see that, Later."

The woman on the bed dared to say nothing rude to Jean who headed out the door with an unsympathetic behavior. "But wait—"

Clack. Jean went out of the door without listening to her.

"Ah didn' mean t' do it…Ah nevuh _wanted t' do it!" Rogue hobbled the bed covers frustratingly throwing pillows here and there in the room._

"Scott Honey…" The minute Jean stepped out of the room she walked into her soon-to-be-husband's arms without caring that several x-men stood there waiting for her information on the new mutant.

They drew back and Scott held her shoulders as he sighed thankfully. "Oh my God Jean. The whole time you were in there I was so worried about you—how did it go?"

Jean moved and looked through the one-sided glass that showed the inside of the room where the new mutant stayed. "Umm-okay. I don't know..she wants to stay here but she doesn't want to stay here. It's kind of confusing."

"O'course when you're goin' t' say dat she tried t' kill your friend an' it's not goin' t' be easy for her t' live wit' de x-men 'cuz Carol was y'friend an' dat she has t' face de consequences…she's gonna get not'ing but confused." Remy winked at Jean proving that he somehow knew what Jean had said to Rogue.

"Heyyy—"Cyclops frowned and waved his arms at Gambit's face. "What, you're trying to say that Jean's questioning from her was wrong?"

_How the hell does he know what I said in there? Son-of-a--Jean put on her best innocence mark as Scott defended her thinking that she was the most over-sensitive and over-sentimental x-woman in the mansion._

'She was touchy in all these arguments was what made Scott shield her' was the thought that pre-occupied Jean's mind when it came to these matters. "But Scott…"

The all time easy going and charming Remy just leaned against the wall and shuffled his cards noisily. "Woah-woah-woah..I didn' say Jean being wrong in inquirrin' her or someti'n. I jus' said dat dis is de only cause dat made Rogue confused—cuz she don' know what's goin' t' happen next. Dere's notin' wrong wit' dat."  He shrugged although he knew that both of them had ticked him off…especially questioning Rogue…he had experienced all this before when he had first joined the x-men.

"Look Gambit, Jean was in there _alone with the new mutant. Do you have any idea what she did? She's a terrorist." They started walking down the hallway to the mansion's lounge._

"But dat was before. An' you got some nerve callin' a girl a terrorist—did y' happen t' ask Henry how _old was she when she tried to **defend herself by usin' her powers?" Remy flopped himself in the corner of the couch and rested his ripped-jeans clad legs on the table.**_

"She was something like 17—18??"

Shaking his head, Remy smirked at Scott. "If she was 17 den, how old do ya t'ink she's now? She was _13."_

Scott was not about to give up this argument. "Okay I get the part of her defending her self and all this age stuff. But what now?"

"I'm going to get a drink, anybody wants some?" Jean thanked in her mind as Scott's and Remy's conversation eased up. They both raised their hands and Jean disappeared in the kitchen. 

"What d' y' mean 'what now'?" Remy tried to sound surprised by this question.

Scott frowned at Remy irritatingly and shook his head unbelievingly. "You _know what I'm saying…I seriously don't trust her to live here with the x-men."_

"_C'mon Scooter..I mean __Scott...Look dis makes sense…Why'd she wan'  t' hurt us even after we've helped her and den she needs t'get help from de professor too cuz she sure as hell don' have control over 'er powers, an' we're de only one who c'n help 'er. Plus, she don' wan' t' get locked up again 'cuz de friends o' humanity are definitely lookin' f' her." Remy did not forget to wiggle his eyebrows after proving his point._

"Hmm.." Scott cracked his muscles raising his arms above his head and leaned backwards in the couch. "Yeah I looked at that too…but then again isn't it a too risky for us to let her stay here? I'm just not ready for it right now."

"But y' see she got super strength…" Remy started counting on his fingers as he raised them one by one from his fist. "Number two-she c'n fly…and number t'ree-she can absorb anybody wit' a single touch..*snap* jus' like dat."

Scott was not ready to take any chances at this point in the team but Remy's points convinced him a little that it wouldn't be too dangerous keeping the new mutant here. "That's another interesting point..Well let's see what happens next. Professor is arriving today…I don't know what's going to happen *groans* I just don't know." 

"Patience…Scott patience…" Remy mocked in Jean's voice.

Cyclops made a face and said in a mocking Gambit-like French accent. "Look who's talking."

*****

"---and that's what Storm and Logan have been saying, you really should take a look at it Professor."

Professor Xavier who had just arrived an hour before immediately ordered a meeting with the major ones-Cyclops, Storm, and Beast. "I know Cyclops but I do not want to discuss this again, we already had this discussion or I should say argument." 

Professor wheeled through the hallways with Storm and Beast beside him, none of them dared to speak except Cyclops. "I understand Professor. Should I take it as you're prepared for her staying here that nothing will go wrong or ---?"

They stopped in the middle as the Professor did. "What convinced you to have Wolverine, Beast, Gambit, Storm or Jean in our team? Did they not commit any serious crimes or was it that they seemed trustworthy enough from the beginning that you did not argue about letting them in the team?"

"I'm not sure Professor but it's just doesn't seem right, she **_worked with Mystique."_**

Keeping his hand on his creased forehead, Professor closed his eyes for a moment. "I believe Rogue was taken in by Mystique and she was not capable or old enough to know what was right and wrong being a mutant and having powers that she had no control over, so don't you think she was a little too early to have that kind of mutation? I think no mutant has a mutation even similar to this one. It is a rare one."

_She'll make a fine addition to the team though…Plus the possibility of her trying to harm the x-men in anyway might be wrong too. We can always keep her in check. "Indeed. If there is not much problem with making her join the x-men…then I think she would be a great addition to the team, nevertheless she has powers that would help us a lot. Maybe we can convince her."_

"I wouldn't disagree with you Scott, I do not know that it was difficult for you to decide or not but the x-men did an excellent job in handling this situation." A light smile crept up at Professor's face and caused Beast to smile as Ororo nodded reassuringly to him that everything was finalized now. "Especially Gambit, remind me to talk to him." He added.

_Yeah right. "No problem Professor. It makes me proud. Don't you think we should move?" He waved his hand to Beast._

"Yes I suppose we are getting late. Professor, about the meeting with Rogue…what have you decided?" They started walking towards the Central X-men Meeting Room.

Professor curved his wheel chair to the room where sharp, metallic doors swiftly slid to the right revealing a huge conference room.

"I have arranged a therapy session at seven with our newest mutant-Rogue. Hank, have you arranged everything as it was supposed to be? I mean do you think she'll be able to take it at this point? Not that her mind condition is in a perfect state…but will you make certain that everything is alright?"

"Please take a seat." Professor came to the front as Storm, Beast and Cyclops sat around the table. 

Shaking his head, Beast looked at Ororo who raised her eyes at his description. 

"The last time I checked…which was this morning, her normal conditions were fine. Since we took out the inhibitor last night, she seems to be acting strangely somehow. Her reactions are very…eccentric. Every once in a while she clutches her head whispering… 'stop' and suddenly she stops doing that, I mean she starts acting like normal people."

"I knew that would happen. Complicated as her session with me is going to be, I do not need your assistance _during the conference…not even Jean. Well…*sigh* that is it for now. Thank you for coming." Whether it showed or not, they knew that the Professor was nervous._

*****

_Ah feel wonderful an' nervous at the same tahme. Rogue sat cross legged in an Indian way on the bed, her back against the headboard. _

"Y' probably are t'inkin' 'bout de session with de Professor, neh?"  Remy was standing by the window where bright afternoon light escaped into the room coloring it with orange and yellow every where. He had come to make visit her as there were certain timings the x-men were permitted to visit her.

She nodded and grabbed the comb from night stand. Her heavy and long auburn hair was scrunched up as she left it down after taking a shower. Rogue had felt alive and more energized as she stepped out of the bathroom in the room, of course she hadn't taken a shower for a week and being in bed with all kinds of bandages with antiseptics had grossed her out.

"Yeah…Ah'm nervous, but Ah'm happy too, Ah'll finally get out of this place y'know. Ah hate being locked up." She smiled slyly and looked away as she noticed him looking intently at her.

Remy stopped as he found himself staring at Rogue after every other minute…the wet crumpled hair surrounding her peach-colored face, the cool smell of fresh wild flowers of the soap around them and the soft pink pout of her lips that came out the most after her cleaning up was what drew Remy's attention over and over as he tried to stop himself from doing so.

"Uh-umm-yeah, dat's right…I agree wit---what didja say?" He asked as Rogue shook her head.

"Ah was sayin' that Ah'm happy and nervous at the same tahme…Nervous 'cuz o' mah session with the Professor an' happy cuz…Ah'll be outa this place. Ah hate being locked up, even if it's a hospital or whatevuh." She grinned seductively.

"Oh m' bad cherie…I was t'inkin' somet'in else…y' wouldn' wan' t' know _dat." He smirked and hooked his thumps in the loops of his jeans. "An' 'bout you being happy, Remy's happy f' you too. Don' worry 'bout your session wit' de Professor, he's a good man besides everyt'ing is becomin' fine slowly slowly. Y' have to relax an' den see how it works, don' you t'ink? _

Rogue had not met many people in her life after she was captured by the Friends of Humanity, but when she faced these people, she treated them as if they were responsible for what happened in her life. In actuality, they helped her through stuff that she never even imagined she could face. Rogue wanted to stay here and wait for the right time, and then repay Remy of how he helped her.

"Yeah you're right Remy. Aftuh all these years Ah'm comin' t' realize that not everyone in this world is bad." Rogue paused to look at the person who had helped her the most so far.

"Y' referrin' dat t' me chere?" Remy knew that flirting with her would mean asking her for a punch in his face…and with her super strength…_ooh dat might hurt real bad…He thought because he did not have an idea that his flirtations with Rogue were pointless and useless because Rogue could not touch a human being without hurting them badly._

"Seriously…Remy, So may be Ah can do even bettuh this time by provin' mahself t' the x-men an' make 'em understan' that not everyone's bad, jus' like they think…of me. An' how Ah---tried t'—t' kill their friend." Tears started to well up in stunning green eyes.

"Okayyy, wait a minute dere…no more cryin' chere. I t'ought you were a tough girl an' we already been t'rough dat stuff. You can prove t' de x-men dat you're reliable so dat dey c'n trust you. When y' absorbed Carol…you did it t' defend y'self, she could've killed you. If anybody tries t' say somt'ing like dis t' you, tell dem straight in de face dat you did it for yourself an' dat y' had no choice."

Remy moved towards her for comfort, he thought having someone close to her might support her but she jerked away fast. "Don' touch meh!" She didn't mean to yell…but the action was automatic. "Ah'm very sorry but y' can't touch meh, remembuh mah powers? The part where you can't touch meh…?" 

Letting out a silent 'oops' as Remy backed away.

"It's okay…Jus' keep in mind next time next time." Rogue tried to smile…_Well..here__ ya go girl…introduction o' yoah new life with the x-men…this is how you're gonna have ta live… The emotional and moving moment where Rogue had started to cry and the part where Remy was supposed to hold her…was gone now._

"I've got clot'es on chere…an' I'm wearin' gloves." Remy held up his hands to show the gloves. "See petite?"

Rogue rubbed her arms up and down as the cool morning breeze ticked on her bare arms. "But still Ah don' wanna take even the slightest risk."

"Look who's here. Time t' go cherie." Remy said as he saw Beast looked through the small glass window of the door.

Beast stepped in with Scott, and Ororo and Jean behind him, they were all scattered around the room. "Good Morning people, How are you doing Rogue?" Beast spoke in his usual cheerful voice.

"Much Bettuh…not ta mention that the voices inside mah head have gotten a golden chance to haunt meh once again." She pressed both of her delicate hands to her temples closing her eyes slightly as she spoke.

Remy almost felt her headache himself, even if he did not have his empathy powers, he would've known by looking at her physically and emotionally shattered state. 

Scott stood with his arms folded across his chest, Jean standing beside him worriedly. Ororo walked towards Rogue's side quietly as Beast looked at the monitor far across Rogue's bed. All of them were here but none of them had a particular reason for coming in except what they wanted to see what would happen next.

"Rogue, I just have little information on your unusual mutation, but do not worry, Professor Xavier is at the mansion, he has to talk to you about your powers so that he can help you which is why we're here. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, Ah'm a little scared though…is it gonna hurt?" Rogue made a weird face as a child would do before getting a shot.

Beast chuckled as he constantly kept his eyes on the screen. "Well, I'm not sure. But everything will be fine. Don't you think Cyclops?"

"I don't know." Scott muttered as his eyes wandered off to the floor.

_Fuckin__' bastard is scarin' de girl. "No chere it's not'ing, It's just therapy. All what professor's goin' t' do is talk an' ask you questions, an' try to find out de base o' your problem wit' de absorption power." He looked at Scott angrily but he already had a lot of arguments lately after Rogue's arrival and he was smart enough to not get into another one especially with the Professor here…Scott could act worst than a class-president by listing complaints and handing them to the teacher._

Ororo placed a hand on Rogue's shoulder gently. "He's absolutely right Rogue."

Remy stepped by Rogue's bed and held her hand pulling her forward. "C'mon let's go outta here, I'll take y' to de professor m'self, It's no big deal. Dese people are jus' creatin' a scene chere, after all you're going to stay here from now on."

Rogue didn't pull away but her face held the expression of nothing but complete confusion. "But Remy---"

"Gambit! Who says we're creating a scene in here?! We are so tensed just because…huh…You just can't get away without creating trouble here, can you?"

Ororo removed Remy's hand from Rogue's as he got busy in arguing with Scott, Ororo moved closer to Rogue. "Rogue, we have been having some major complications because of your arrival and you know exactly why. So just do not worry yourself about it at all, hopefully everything will be fine in a short time." 

"A'right." Rogue swung her legs slowly to the ground and slid her feet into Ororo's soft slippers that she had lend Rogue a day ago. She unbalanced on her feet a bit as she had been in bed for more than five days but Ororo steadied her at once. 

Remy threw a glance at Rogue who was clad in short white shirt and silk pajamas. "Yeah right just stop dat nonsense Cyke, I don' wanna hear any o' dat bull shit."

_Whoa, he sure is angry. "Stop it guys…" Everybody's heads turned around at the sudden interruption. "Ah know it's all 'cuz o' me, Please stop it, Ah'm too tired o' all this, it's okay if you don't want meh to stay heah, I'll go." Her heavy green eyes held an unbearable and regretful shame in them._

An awkward silence fell in the room.

Cyclops finally spoke. "We know that Rogue, You don't have to explain it, and it has already been decided that you'll stay here." He didn't know what to say, he was just too embarrassed himself to actually say that they didn't trust her.

Beast rose from his chair and moved towards the few people in the room. "Okay everyone, Clear out. Professor will be here shortly." He looked at the watch in his oversized blue hand.

"Scott, honey let's go." Jean tugged at his arm and one by one all of them went out of the room except Remy. He looked at Rogue, His eyes questioning her if she was going to be ok.

"You'll be okay chere?" He took her hand in his hand, a sign of simple affection.

She tried to smile, despite the tears that were forming in her eyes which she tried to hide, but anybody could see them. "Don' worry, Ah'll be fine, thanks." Reaching back, she kept both of arms at the bed and then with that support, she propped herself on the bed. _Why he's so protective o' me?_

"If you say so chere…" Without another word he brushed past Beast and out of the door.

Rogue's heart almost stopped a beat as a man in an automatic wheel chair that hovered a few inches above the ground, entered the room. Her future was held in this man's hands.

"Hello Rogue…"

*****

Note: I'm really really sorry if this story isn't moving, but I just left it there so that I can work on the other story and then I'll upload a lot of chapters at a time for both the story. I put effort into it…a Million aplogies if it sucked…Your reviews mean everything to me so keep on reviewing with the same zeal…J

Some people forgot to read the 7th chapter of **_'What happened to me?'! Read and Review! Please please?_**


	8. That's It?

'New Life New Beginnings' By Samman.

Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men or the characters…

Author's Note: Hmmm…Finally this fic's gonna move! I had a bad flue so didn't get much time to write it.

Reviews: _An important thing I wanted to say was that, I love all the comments that you write for this story. I'm not being arrogant but please write something else other than it's good continue soon. You don't know how much your reviews mean to me but could you just write a little more than you guys usually do? Hopefully this will work._

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Chapter 8: That's it

"In fact, she _was telling the truth. And good thing that she has made her choice." Professor smiled to the x-men who were gathered in the control room for a training schedules and programs for the following week._

Cyclops stood with both of his hands flat on the huge table as he inclined on it. "You're saying that she was telling the truth which is good to know. To check if she was stating the fact or not, you had to go into her mind, didn't you?" For the first time, Cyclops gave a small smile.

Professor nodded. "Yes. And it certainly was not good."

"I asked if Professor wanted any help, I could have provided some extra assistance. Getting into her head must not have been an easy thing." Jean said looking at her husband and Storm standing in the middle of the table.

Professor Xavier looked in the direction where Jean sat. "I appreciate your concern Jean, it's very easy to say something than actually doing it. Rogue is a very unique mutant. I looked into her mind and it was very disturbed…figures roaming around in her heads as if it is not a big deal." 

He looked down, shook his head and continued. "Although one thing that surprises me is how she has been coping with the different people roaming around her head all the time that tend to risk her mental state."

"Figure as in real humans that she absorbed?" Cyclops continued to ask questions.

"Yes."

"Real humans as in… Carol you mean?" Wolverine interrupted rudely. "That's how she got her super strength..didn' she?"  

"But--"

"She can fly jus' cuz she killed Carol by absorbing her, didn' she?" He tilted his head and just as he said the words…slowly his hands came on the table and curled into fists, his intentions full to release the adamantium claws.

"You don't understand the situation well." Professor said calmly as if totally unaware of the temper rising rapidly in Wolverine's body.

On the opposite side, a nervous Jubilee looked at the team mate beside her, Bobby who looked at her too. Both of them displaying a sign of: _'Oh-o, This does not look to good to me.'_

With a loud noise, Wolverine stood up angrily. "Situation? You call this situa--"

"Logan. Calm down." Beside him Ororo stood up and kept a hand on his broad shoulder trying to push him down and succeeded in doing so. After a few snuffs and gruffs, Logan maintained himself but the frown still pasted on his forehead.

"Back to the topic." Cyclops shoved his anger away and turned to Professor who nodded.

"As we were saying, If the results from her absorption powers are positive, this means that we can have a power check, Don't you think? I mean, keeping aside her mental problems, her physical state is fine and that allows us to have her power check in the danger room tomorrow morning."

"I was about to say that." Hank interjected as he turned with a clipboard in his blue hands.

Professor nodded. "That sounds preferable to me to. I would like do a check on Rogue's powers in the danger room beginner's session today. I want all the x-men to be there so this way she would able to meet all of you."

"Thank God, At least somebody had a good idea!" Jubilee cheerfully said who had been sitting there quietly in the corner with Bobby…none of them uttering a word as the senior x-men spoke. Even Gambit had chosen to be quiet during the meeting.

"It's good to see that you are excited to meet our new mutant." Professor smiled at his youngest fifteen-year-old x-man, Jubilee.

Keeping both of her knees on the chair and propping up her elbows on the table, Jubilee leaned over it…her intentions obviously unintentional causing several x-men to smile. "Yeah, poor girl. She's been locked up there for about a week."

"Good to see that _someone cares." Bobby purposely rolled his eyes trying to seem jealous as Jubilee got the attention from every single one in the mansion. _

"Yeah well no one's askin' you Ice cube so shut up." She popped her gum loudly, causing Cyclops to look up from the files he had been looking through as he stood there.

"One question." Everyone's head moved towards Gambit as his charming voice raised in the room.

"Go ahead Gambit." Professor Xavier nodded.

"How do we know if she's stayin' 'ere or not?" He wiggled his eyebrows at Cyclops.

_There he goes again. Cyclops stifled a tiring sigh and took a chair beside Professor whose wheel chair lingered over the shiny floor._

"I cannot say anything else except ask you people to convince Rogue to stay here. Things will go out of our hands if the Friends of Humanity get her in prison again." The creases on Professor's forehead determined that he was not yet prepared to face more difficulties relating to Rogue's escape from the Foh's Headquarters. 

"I do not want that to happen, no matter how much it takes." The professor added sternly.

"Indeed." Storm managed to say a word after being upset because of Cyclops's unnerved arguments with Wolverine and her.

The mad man Wolverine, who seated beside her, snorted and looked away.

_Goddess! What is his problem these days? Storm sighed in her mind, something puzzling her about Logan that why he reacted this way to her __only whenever __she tried to find out ways to help the new mutant._

"X-men released for now."

"Shooh!" Jubilee jumped up and on the floor as the several x-men got out of the sliding doors.

****

"You are free with options Rogue. I will not talk to you about Miss Marvel, we've already discussed this." Professor threaded his fingers against the other hand and rested them on his big office table.

The nineteen year old girl sat in front of him with a firm face, no expressions making her look as if she had already taken a decision.

Her long hair that now swung lightly below the waist fell heavily over a generous, slim waist.

She wore a small black shirt whose sleeves covered her limb arms fully but the shirt still hung loose over her thin body. The blue jeans were also loose on the young girl…most probably because she hadn't been healthy at all even when the Foh's had given her more than enough food to fill her stomach.

Taking a deep breath that was audible in the large quiet room, Rogue forced herself to speak. "Options?"

"Yes, we are giving you a chance to leave on your own free will." Professor's serious remark made Rogue confused, and he thought it should not have as Rogue only had two options. To stay or to leave.

Rogue's green eyes shot up from straight into his eyes. "It's lakh Ah don' have a choice. Professuh…Ah'm a straight forward person and Ah have to tell you that Ah guess there are not many places where we learn to control mutant powers." She smiled sadly.

Pondering over what she said, he replied after "Let me tell you one thing Rogue, you always have choices. You just have to pick the right one." 

Takning a deep breath Rogue blurted it out after closing her eyes tightly. "Yes. Ah wanna stay here."

"Well then…Welcome to the X-men." Smiling Professor moved from his place to where Rogue had been sitting and they shook hands. 

"Thanks…for everything." Wiping away the tears with her gloved hand, Rogue walked with him outside.

****

"Hi I'm Jubilee---" Jubilee introduced herself only to get interrupted by her best friend who stood beside her. They were once again gathered in the danger room but with only one difference, an addition to the new team Rogue.

"_Jubilation Lee." Bobby smirked at her as he reclined against the large table._

Turning around, Jubilee stared at him and flicked her fingers together against his bare arm, creating small sparks that stung Bobby. He suddenly flinched away and started laughing.

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Doesn't matter to me. Go ahead make fun of my name…I don't care."

"Yeah right, I can see that."

Rogue watched them with amusement, her smile not very bright but still a smile that caught attention from the people who stood around her in their uniforms.

"This is Bobby." Jubilee motioned her arm in a professional business woman style, her eyes glittering together with her sassy voice.

Bobby yanked her arm away and came forward extending his hand to Rogue. "I _appreciate that you introduced me but uh no thanks Jubes. Hi…I'm Bobby." Rogue stepped back, trying not to be too close to them as her powers were not too friendly with the people around her._

"Also known as Ice-cube."

"Iceman." Bobby corrected Jubilee who once again had interrupted him.

"Hi. Nice ta meet you."

When Wolverine entered the room, Rogue lowered her eyes and looked away. Cyclops, Professor and Jean stood working at a control panel in the opposite direction preparing the danger room beginner's session for Rogue. Storm stood beside Rogue laughing and watching as Bobby and Jubilee constantly teased each other. 

Gambit stretched out against the table beside Bobby with his arms crossed, and his red eyes curiously observing the new mutant Rogue who was smiling at the two youngest mutants in the x-men. 

Bobby stepped back and looked at Rogue who didn't say a word except hi or hello. He wiggled his eyebrows at Jubilee signaling her to somehow make the new girl talk. 

Jubilee shrugged and tried to get the new mutant into talking. "So umm…what's your power?"

_Not a good question petite. Gambit watched as Rogue tugged a white strand behind her ear, she looked more composed and better than he had last seen her, the simple jeans and a black shirt over her extraordinary slim body made her look like a normal girl, except for the white strands that were tied loosely among the auburn curls at the back. Otherwise, she was not even an ordinary mutant._

"Ah can absorb people's memories and mutations if they have 'em, by skin contact-which means ya'll can't touch me so make sure y' guys keep yoah distance when Ah'm around." Rogue forced herself to smile.

Even though Jubilee knew what her power was, she continued. "Wow that's so cool—I mean that's an amazing power-not to mention that you can't touch anybody."

_Yeah right sugah…yoah too young t' think like that. Rogue nodded and unintentionally, her eyes met with Remy's. "But that's not all. Ah've got super-strength which also means Ah'm invulnerable an' Ah can fly too."_

"That's awesome." Bobby's eyes widened.

"Thanks sugah." 

Jubilee's gleeful eyes widened. "Awee---her accent is so sweeet…isn't it 'Ro?" 

"Yes Jubilee. I liked it too, now we have _two southerners in the mansion." Ororo gently put an gloved arm over Rogue's shoulder looked at Gambit who smiled. Seeing as Rogue was too young to face all these problems, Storm had comforted her from the very beginning._

"So—you probably met Gambit didn't you?" Jubilee wiggled her eyebrows at Gambit, knowing that he was a charming ladies man and he certainly did like Rogue. Jubilee had noticed him staring at Rogue from the moment Rogue had stepped into the danger room with the Professor. _Oh well, he stares at every single girl he meets, now how can he keep his eyes off a girl like **Rogue? Jubilee giggled in her mind.**_

_Ah wonduh why he's so unusually quiet today. "Yeah…The first x-man Ah came across." Rogue smiled at Gambit who was shuffling his cards._

"I still cannot believe that you can be so careless sometimes…if you hadn't created that mess on that night, she would have been in a better shape." Jubilee mockingly scolded Gambit.

Gambit looked at Rogue who understood that they usually played around the mansion like that. Her heart ached to see that she never even got a chance to have a family…and here they were all mutants living in a mansion like brothers and sisters. "'m sorry petite, I didn' have Jubes wit' me to help you…m' best friend." 

Rogue smiled as Gambit winked at her.

"So what happened after you stole Gambit's trench coat. You never finished your story." Rogue had been telling Jubilee what happened before she came to the mansion and the younger mutant wouldn't leave her alone until she finished the story.

"Yeah well..Ah ran an' um…yoah best friend _punched me in the face." Rogue curled her lips smiling and looked at the man who had played the most part in saving her life. She took a moment to study the tall, handsome figure across her who stood against the table in a combat uniform…his well build muscles of arms and chest were clearly prominent as the armor stuck over his black and red shirt._

Storm whispered something in Rogue's ear and left the three four people alone as Rogue nodded. 

Jubilee clasped a hand over her mouth and spoke with her young pretty eyes wide. "Don't tell me. Y' mean Gambit as in Remy _punched __you in the face…?"_

Shaking her head, Rogue said. "Yeah. Him right theah beside you, your so called best friend." After being there for almost two hourse, Rogue was feeling a lot better than before. She did feel out of place but it would take her a while to gain their trust and be friends with them.

"C'mon chere, I didn' know dat if you were a girl or a guy, it was too dark in de alley for me t' see you…besides your body was a lil' too small for my duster!" Gambit argued as Rogue accused him of hurting a girl. He recalled the night a few days ago, when he had laid her limp form on the bed in Beast's lab, he had been very ashamed of himself.

"Whatevuh..But you _did punch me in the face. Admit it, It's alright. Ah won' punch you back." After a long time, Rogue felt so normal…so free…without any restrains as she talked casually with these people. "Or may be Ah will." She murmured under her breath narrowing her eyes. _

"C'mon Gumbo-what happened now? Too scared too say that you actually did hurt her?" Jubilee forced Remy, trying to be sympathetic towards Rogue but she couldn't hide the smile creeping in the corner of her lips.

Jubilee grinned at Bobby who took her side. "I still cannot believe you hurt a _girl, a __woman Gambit..a __woman"_

Gambit threw up his hands in the air as he sarcastically remarked. "Oh yeah?! What 'bout de kick dat y' gave me in…in de…umm--" He trailed off trying to sensor what he was going to say next.

Jubilee and Bobby turned their heads at the same time to look at each other. Rogue threw up a delicate gloved hand to her mouth trying to suppress her giggle but her huge green eyes were laughing out loud at Gambit who had just given them another chance to make fun of him.

"What?" Bobby looked at Rogue confusingly.

"Umm Ah kinda kicked him there.." As Rogue blushingly blurted out the words with her heavy accent, she quickly added. "Well it was not mah fault 'cuz he was the one who was holdin' me so tightly an' Ah had ta do _somethin__' to get me off o' him."_

Jubilee popped her gum and muttered loudly. "Strange cuz women can't really help themselves getting off of him."

Gambit threw a charged card at Jubilee's back that was covered with a long yellow duster, but he made sure the blow wasn't hard enough to hurt his little friend. "Ouch Remy watch it!"

"Remy's been watchin' it the whole time chere. Don' worry." 

"haa ha…bhwaaahaa ha…I still can't believe you hit him there…must have been a great sight huh?" Bobby said between fits of laughter.

"Yeah well Ah wasn' lookin'." Rogue's own sentences made her blush even more although it was Remy who should have been embarrassed at the time.

"C'mon people let's go and get ready." As Cyclops said it out loud and the group began to walk out of the hallway.

Once Bobby and Jubilee moved forward, Gambit took the opportunity to grasp Rogue's hand and pulled her towards him as she headed after them. Taking a hold of her chin with his gloved hand, he caressed her cheek and brought her closer. "I'll take m' revenge cherie…don' worry."

"How much more you wanna get embarrassed Cajun hunh? If y' wan' me to..Ah still have a lot o' things to tell them. An' get your face away from mine before Ah kick you again—an' at the same place, don' forget Ah have super strength too." Rogue purred into Gambit's face.

"Whoa…so petite is threatnin' me? Let's see what y' can do…" Not letting go of her chin, Gambit brought his lips dangerously closer to her soft pink ones and his world turned upside down as her breath tickled his lips. 

The green eyes shadowed by long, dark eye lashes stared bluntly into his red on black eyes. Suddenly jerking him away by one single small hand on his broad chest, Rogue hissed. "Don' evuh do that again."

"Awe, give up so soon cherie?" Gambit pushed her more, keeping the warnings in his mind clearly that she was young and sensitive all these touching matters.

"Ah nevuh give up but right now Ah gotta go. An' don' call me chere, cherie or petite. Mah name's Rogue." Rogue tried to show him that she was mad, but the wicked grin on his handsome face kept her from hiding her smile.

Flipping her long hair that rested just above her hips, Rogue stepped out of the door and followed the others who were at the very end of the hallway.

"Got it chere, won' call y' chere no more." Gambit said out loud as she quickly walked gracefully straight into the hallway to catch up with the others.

Remy watched her movements and ran a hand through his hair, the short hair in steps falling into the right places. _'Damn she's hot.' Other than the fact that she was extremely beautiful and attractive, Remy liked her innocence…even when she talked like a spunk…she still seemed innocent and sensitive among the other x-men. Poor girl, why did she have to face so many problems?_

****

The x-men stood before the door waiting for it to open so that they could actually go inside and practiceto slide open. Cyclops stood just beside the doors looking at a screen as he punched in some keys. 

"You okay child?" Storm said smiling to Rogue was fidgeting and stretching her sleeves and the tight material from her thighs.

"Umm…yeah…Ah mean no..this ugh..spandex or whatevuh you call it is a lil' too tight and sticky." Rogue continued to fiddle with her uniform.

Jubilee and Bobby started laughing. "That's the way it's supposed to be, I felt the same way first time." Jubilee said.

The doors slid open and Gambit came in running from the other doors. "Sorry I'm late mon'ami." He yanked his arm inside the sleeve of his duster wearing it properly.

"Why're you wearin' it! Ah thought Ah was gonna wash it for you…it's kinda dirty." Rogue said making a face of disgust.

Remy looked up surprised at the sound of the voice. He walked in between Storm and Bobby and stood beside Rogue who stepped away cautious that he would try something else.

"Y' were goin' to wash it for me?" Gambit raised his eyebrows, impressed by her minor show of concern.

Shrugging Rogue curled her lips inside.  "Ah don' know. Ah jus' thought it was bettuh if you washed it."

"No take it back, y' said dat _you'd wash it for me." Gambit showed her that grin again, he knew she'd get ticked off._

"What?" Blowing away a white strand from her face, Rogue cursed him in her mind. 

"Okay..it's no big deal. Ah was sayin' that Ah was the one who stole it an' got it dirty so may be Ah could wash it for y' but Ah didn' know ya were so dirty but that's okay now…y' can wear it as it is." She took a deep breath proving her point and grinned at him.

Shaking his head, Gambit let it go, instead looked at her upside down purposely so that she'd see him. He was having so much fun annoying her, especially when she blushed.

The tight and firm green yellow and green spandex made her look stunning and Gambit corrected himself he thought earlier that she certainly did not even look anywhere near innocent. What if she was touchable? Gambit began thinking of his little fantasies of what he would do with her.

"Remy, why dont you get your mind out of the gutter and get ready for the danger room session?" Jean broke in his thoughts and said out loud in front of everyone.

Gambit's head shot up and looked at Jean, he smiled. "Huh? What are y' talkin' 'bout Jeanie?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Jean raised her eyebrows.

"What? Didn' Professor tell y' not to probe anybody's mind wit'out dere permission." Gambit looked at Rogue and waved his hands towards where Jean, Storm and Jubilee stood. "Dese femmes got no manners…psh, don' worry just 'cuzyou don' know anyt'ing 'bout dem, I'll teach you how t' deal wit' dem."

Rogue looked at Jean and Storm who were laughing hysterically. "What are y' guys talkin' 'bout? Ah don' understand."

"Nothin' chere. Once y' live here, you'll get a hold of everyt'ing." He patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"Of course Remy of course." Storm said as she had laid her back against the wall and her arms folded in front of her. She swiped away the white silky hair that spilled across one of her shoulders.

Grinning at her, Gambit switched the topic again. "By de way…isn't Rogue goin' t' do de testing or de beginner's session?"

Storm nodded. "Yes Remy, the professor will test her super strength and flying first." 

Meanwhile they stood there chatting, Rogue tied her long hair in a tight braid causing the white bangs to fall lightly on the front. She brushed away the remaining white strands. Jubilee and Bobby as usual talked nonstop until Jubilee said to Rogue.

"Y' okay now in your uniform?" 

"Ah'm bettuh now, Ah'll get used to it in a while though." Rogue pulled the material away from her midriff and let it go as it slapped back and stuck to her flat stomach.

"The colors are pretty cool. Green and yellow, I like 'em." Jubilee sucked on her lolly pop and put back in her mouth as Bobby commented that it was disgusting.

"Thanks." Rogue's mind swam back for a second thinking about how she always used to argue with her momma to buy her green and yellow shirts instead of getting pinks and blues every single time she went shopping with her.

"Let's go Rogue." Cyclops slid in a card at the huge door of the danger room and the doors opened loudly.

"Do you need your jacket Rogue?" Storm said as she stood there with the brown jacket that had an 'X' printed on the top of the sleeves.

"Ah'll get it later, Thanks Storm." Rogue nodded as she followed Cyclops in the huge metallic simulation area.

"You can call me Ororo or 'Ro as you may like." Storm said and Rogue turned her head nodding at her.

"I t'ink it's better wit'out de jacket." Gambit didn't raise his voice enough for Rogue to listen it who shook her head.

Rogue thought it was better that she did not argue with him at this time as Cyclops stood beside her waiting for them to stop their non-sense conversation and to proceed with his task. The doors shut close and the machines around them began making loud mechanical sounds, ready to operate. Cyclops explained Rogue that the simulation was a test that she would take so that Professor would check her physical and mental abilities to cope with her mutations.

After twenty minutes of explaining her the important things, the leader of the x-men asked, his mood and tone serious as usual. "I think you know what to do right? Don't worry if you think that something is difficult. We're outside operating the control panel, we get a display of everything. If anything goes wrong, we'll stop the simulation at once. This should be easy for you."

With a firm nod, Rogue confidently said. "Yes, Ah think so too. Thank ya."

"Okay then. Here we go. It's just a simulation so do the least you can do. Don't worry." Cyclops exited the simulation area as the automatic doors shut and the machines began to operate.

Rogue let out a breath as she stood with her arms straight at her sides, she waited for the simulation to start. Her mind still anxious that Cyclops was not as harsh as she thought he would be. _Wooh__.__ That was easy._

As soon as Rogue remembered that she had done training sessions similar to like this before which were not as advanced as this one, four holographic robotic machines that were hardly three inches taller than her, came towards her from every direction. 

She moved forward in a second and grabbing its heavy foot that seemed like a toy to her, she threw it around to the other two crashing them all down in the corner. The three of them disappeared and two more formed coming from her behind. Rogue went straight away and punched it with such force that it went flying down to the other wall. It was after it crashed Rogue realized that the robot's head and body were somewhere else.

Not knowing that two more were already behind her, Rogue stepped back looking for more and turned just in time to see that they were heading towards her. She took off in flight several feet above the ground and jumped back behind the robots. Gripping them easily with their necks, she threw them back wards both striking each other and ended up bursting in mid air.

_That was a piece of cake. Suddenly machines moved and adjusting their specified places, they started firing numerous bullets. Keeping both hands backwards on the ground in a swift motion, Rogue did several flips flops dodging from the bullets and landing on her feet. _

She didn't have time to take a breath and two robotic birds flew towards her. In a fluid motion, she took into air again so fast that she could be hardly seen but the birds came on her either side.

Outside, the x-men stood watching her simulation in awe. Bobby and Jubilee looked at each other after her every move, their jaws and eyes wide open. "Whoa…that was amazing." Bobby commented.

"Interesting." Storm said with her eyes fixed on the screen. "Cyclops, did the computer calculate her flying speed?"

Cyclops asked Jean to hand him the clip board and he handed it to Storm. "Yep. Here you go."

Storm shook her head and looked at her leader. "Cyclops, she exceeded _my normal flying speed. Can you believe it?"_

"Yeah- Of course she took Carol's powers so why shouldn't she be on the top of the list?" Everyone's heads turned around to see Wolverine in his battle uniform, his broad arms folded across his chest.

Beast adjusted his thick glasses and did not look up at him as he typed some data on the other screen. "Yes but it takes a mutant to control and use the powers accordingly. Don't you see how she is manipulating with her powers? I still can't believe after such a long time, how a 19 year old mutant would use his or her powers so confidently." 

"What? Even Jubilee coulda done even better with that super strength an' flyin'. Manipulate? Huh..she's jus' bashin' an' knockin' things around. It's a piece of sh--" Wolverine got cut off suddenly.

"Logan, you have two options. Either get out of here or shut up so that we can carry our work here peacefully." Storm moved in front of him gracefully with her jaw tightening as she took every step closer to him.

Everyone distracted by Strom's word spun their heads around to see Strom standing in front of the most dangerous mutant among the x-men. When the stunt _Wolverine did not bring himself to actually say a word, Storm tossed her silvery hair very close to his face and walked away._

Gambit put his arm around Ororo and massaged her arm as he smirked at Wolverine who was making plans in his mind of beating Remy up at the back porch of the mansion after session.

Meanwhile in the simulation area, Rogue fought with various robots and holographic images of other mutants. Then came the sentinels. Flying at the fastest speed she could with her arms in fist heading straight into the sentinel's enormous head. She burst through it and with a thunderous sound, the sentinel gave away onto the ground creating another explosion.

Rogue never saw it coming and a huge metal piece hit her at the back bringing down Rogue with it. Her limp form went to the ground in less than a second.

"Dieu…" Gambit whispered with a look of worry on his face as he saw Rogue going down in a flash of light. Zap. 

"Is she alright? Cyclops, terminate the Program." Storm moved away from Remy's embrace and went to the control system.

"Do not worry Storm, she's alright." Professor smiled even though he had not seen Rogue's body among the dirty rubble.

As Storm turned her head up from the keys, she saw Rogue getting up and taking off in air once again, not a scratch on her face.

"Shooh! She scared me there." Jubilee sighed casually.

"Here's the difficult part." Cyclops pressed a red button on the complex keyboard and looked up at the large screen smiling.

"Ugh. This is a lot of work." Rogue flew upwards and held up both of her arms tight in the air as the huge automatic concrete ceiling came down on her. She held it with her but the extremely intense and heavy ceiling pushed her down, but she did not let go as she was pushed further down.

Rogue pushed downwards after every other minute and then came the point where her feet touch the floor and she stood on it firmly holding the ceiling with her arms. Sweat slipped from her wet forehead. Muscles of her long arms contracted and stretched as she h  She took gasps of air as the wall came down and she fell down on her knees, the ceiling still over her arms making mechanical sounds trying to crush itself on top of Rogue who wouldn't let go.

"Ughhh..Damn it." She hissed as the heaviness pained her shoulders.

_Okay here we go… With one strong intake of breath, she forced her hands over the ceiling and succeeded in standing up with the enormous concrete over her hands. As soon as she stood up, the pressure off her hands was taken back and the ceiling was drawing back upwards. The environment around her changed suddenly and then Rogue was standing on a shiny floor with machines all around her._

Cyclops punched in the numbers and then moved forward. "Excellent work Rogue." His firm voice not betraying his words.

Nodding, she wiped off the sweat with the sleeve of her arm. After untying her hair, she formed it in mussed bun and brushed away the sweaty strands off her face.

"That's it for today." Cyclops looked down at her as they exited the simulation area.

"Ah guessed so." _Aftuh__ loadin' me down with some highly advanced simulations on mah very first day..he's sayin' **that's it?! Rogue walked into the air conditioned room and sat down on the chair.**_

"You did a pretty awesome job in there. I never expected you to be that good." The first person to remark was Jubilee.

"Thanks." Rogue cracked her hands and stretched her arms.

Bobby stood beside her and smirked. "Awwwe…tired already Super girl?"

Rogue looked up at him. "Yeah raght…like yoah leader said…_That's it for today." She clenched her teeth and Bobby broke out laughing._

"Y' better get used t' it chere…like de rest o' us here. Dis was not'ing compared t' what we do everyday, don' you t'ink Jubilee?" Gambit kept one of his arm over Rogue's chair with his legs crossed in a casual manner and his other arm around Jubilee.

Jubilee took his arm and pushed him. "You're so mean Gumbo." She gestured towards Rogue. "He's just messin' with you. Don't worry. He's always like that."

"Ah know." Rogue narrowed her eyes and showed Remy a fist who widened his eyes mocking her as if he was scared of her. As everyone laughed and joked around, Rogue turned her head to see Wolverine who stood far away watching them. Looking down in her lap, Rogue rubbed her face with her gloved hands.

"Let's go and show you your room so that you can relax and take a shower." Storm smiled warmly at her and they left together.

****

**Author's Note: Okay…This was long so I hope it wasn't boring. Next chapter coming out after I finish Chapter 9 for 'What happened to me'. Reviewwwwwwwwwws!!! I love you guys when you do that so don't forget. :(**


	9. Looking Back

New Life New Beginnings' By Samman.

Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men or the characters…

Reviews: **_Wow I'm back after a long time. No time for excuses..just wanna say that I'm sorry for the delay and thanks to those who are still reading and/or reviewing this story. Love the encouragement and comments that you guys post on review board. Thanks._**

-Samman 

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Chapter 9: Looking Back

So many days, so many difficult, painful nights passed by, the time that never seemed to pass by seemed like a minute of events to her as her green eyes stared at the ceiling for answers. Looking at the past few days or even months, compared to her laying peacefully in bed, Rogue thought that her life had taken such a big turn of events. The life she was going to begin now was going to be a much better one, she hoped, only if the x-men let themselves to accept her presence in their family.

But some of them were already accepting her. A slight touch of smile appeared on the corner of Rogue's plush pink lips as she thought of the only person she could thank…or may be she could thank Logan too for what he had done. Gambit. No _Remy..said Rogue in her mind. She remembered her encounter with him in the danger room. A rush of heat and electricity flowed through her body. _

Gambit had not only touched her arm but pulled her body close to his larger one despite knowing that her powers could hurt him, moreover he had asked her to call him by his real name, Remy. His Cajun accent had soothed her ears that had never heard anything in her life but profanities and curse words that insulted her of being a mutant. Clutching the blanket closer to her bare arm, Rogue turned to her side feeling giddy inside the pit of her stomach. 

_What is wrong with meh?? _Rogue questioned herself, she startled herself by having such intense emotions and feelings towards someone who she did not even know. There was no doubt that Gambit was drop dead gorgeous and stunning—just like one of those people she saw in movies only, when she was younger. But now that she actually came across one who was equally handsome and charming, it didn't mean she needed to be so overwhelmed by him considering the harsh truth that she couldn't touch anyone. Because she was a Mutant. A _stinkin_'_ __filthy __Mutant _bitch_ just like the people had always called her. On top of that, her uncontrollable powers were what left Rogue for nothing in this world._

Another thought filled Rogue's mind just as Gambit's left her mind. Wolverine. He was there, had risked himself and fought the friends of humanity to save her life. How could she not thank him? But as soon as Wolverine and the other x-men had found out about her being the assassin who took the life of their now former team mate-Carol Danvers, they had turned against her. Rogue shut her eyes closed. _Carol Danvers_. _Ah wonder where she is raght now..Rogue_ asked herself, Carol Danvers had been extremely annoying for the first few days when Rogue had absorbed her but slowly stopped herself as Rogue threatened her saying that she was capable of using her powers in her own mind too. However Rogue herself did not know what she exactly was capable of doing.

_But Ah don't blame Wolverine foh what happened. What if somebody took the life of someone Ah loved…only if I had the experience of loving someone I would know…_Even the first person who touched Rogue intimately for the first time did not even know Rogue so closely, and she lost him too.

Once again Rogue tightened the blanket around herself and looked at the greenish twinkling stars that storm had put on her ceiling to decorate it a little. _Whatevah__ they've done, Ah own them so much. How am Ah goin' to repay them? Ah nothin'. Nothin'. 'cept mah powers which Ah hope can come in handy when we go on missions and Ah'm able to repay them with a favoh. _

Her huge green eyes shadowed by thick dark lashes watered. A tear slipped on her cheek and then onto the pillow. A hiccup escaped her lips and brushing away wisps of white hair for her face, Rogue buried her head into the pillow. With one sob, she rested into a sleep that she wished would be peaceful.

****

"Bobby you need to stop doing that before I make you!" Jean yelled not looking up as she flipped the pancakes and tightened the apron with the other.

Bobby smirked. He sat on one of the chairs at the breakfast table waiting for the breakfast. While he waited, he made tiny ice sculptures of different people with his hand, however the ice sculptures melted away leaving nothing but pools of water at the table. "If the pancakes are not in front of me in five more minutes, I'll keep on doin' this…"

"I don't think so. You should be thanking me in the least because it's me who asked Scott to cut you guys some slack today. You've guys have been very busy with the new mutant lately." Jean cracked him a smile and arranged plates on the table.

"Well then…" Warned Bobby and made an ice cube and landed it on the table right in front of her.

Jean ignored him and shook her head at Bobby's immature attitude that he had been doing for the past few minutes. "Well then forget about your pancakes."

"Awe come ooon. I'm _starvin__' here." Bobby whined._

"Can't you wait for the others for five more minutes? Why don't you come here and give me a hand?" Jean smiled pulling her hair from her face at the same time pouring oil in the pan.

"Ughhh…You're husband is an expert in doing all that stuff-don't expect me to come there and help you." Bobby rolled his eyes. "Where the hell is everybody?"

"We're right here!" A very active and hyper Jubilee as usual came in the kitchen with Gambit on her side.

"Speak of the devil and the devil is here." Bobby muttered.

Gambit went to Jean AND peeked over her shoulder to see what she was doing, Jubilee made her way to the corner of the table where Bobby sat. Popping her gum near his ear, she said out loud. "I heard that! Now you wanna apologize or—Wowww, lookie here.." Jubilee's black eyes dazed at his work and she scanned the sculptures.

Jubilee looked at Bobby with mischief in her eyes.

"What?" Bobby asked defensively.

"Nothin'. If I'm not wrong Icecube, this ice statue or whatever you call it is of our new resident Southern belle… Rogue!" The asian girl stated plainly.

Gambit's ears perked up at the name of their new team mate. He glanced in Bobby's direction with his red on black eyes.

"Come here Gumbo, look at it." Motioning him to come over with one hand Jubilee looked in awe at the tiny sculpture that Bobby had made.

"It's nothin'. God you girls exaggerate a lot." Bobby said trying not to give them any wrong idea of why he had made that sculpture of their new team mate. Rogue indeed was one breathtaking beauty that stumbled across their doorstep but Bobby was just bored and without thinking he had made an attempt to make her sculpture.

Letting a low whistle out, Gambit roamed his eyes at the small figure made of ice. "Merde, she's one _fine femme." A smirk appeared on his handsome features._

Jubilee suppressed her laughter at Gambit comment and slapped his arm playfully. "_Sculpture_ you mean." She popped her gum loudly and slapped Gambit on the shoulder playfully.

"Yeah yeah. Whatever y' call her." Gambit looked at her and then back at the Bobby's work. Jubilee shook her head at him.

Gambit was about to pick the sculpture up when Bobby slapped his hand away. "Heyyy. You're gonna break her." Bobby said, the sculpture was already beginning to melt.

"_It_ Bobby IT. It's a _sculpture not the __real girl." Jubilee remarked. Moving to Jean's side, she took out pancake syrup from the cabinet._

Jean who had been talking to Scott mentally jerked her head at Jubilee abruptly. "Sculpture?! Bobby stop doing that, you've left pools of water everywhere at the table. We're going to eat there. Stop messing around." However, the issue of Bobby making Rogue's ice sculpture was gone unnoticed by Jean since she was talking to Scott.

"Oh he's not Jeanie, come 'ere and have a look at Iceboy's magnificent work of art. Voila." Gambit patted Bobby on the shoulder giving him the sarcastic remark. However Bobby missed the mad look on Remy's face that was beginning to be very prominent .

"I was just gettin' bored and I did it. It's not a big deal guys." Bobby replied.

"Oh _yeah_? What's the _real_ deal then Bobby? Jubilee wiggled her eyebrows at Bobby who smirked at Gambit which made him turn his grin into a look of disgust.

Just then Storm and Scott walked in the kitchen talking about the new surveillance equipments and security systems they had shipped from D.C to New York.

"Good morning everyone. Storm greeted the people in the kitchen with a warm smile that would comfort and brighten everyone's day in the worst of times. Scott moved to Jean and hugged her from behind causing Jubilee and Bobby to move their eyes at them. 

"C'mon everyone, the breakfast is ready. Let's not wait any longer or else Bobby will freeze all of us up." Jean looked apologetically at Bobby. Instead, he went up and cleaned the mess he had created at the table.

Some of the x-men sat down and some still looked for their favorites in the cabinets and the refrigerator. Beast entered the kitchen with a big smile on his face. "Why, aren't we having a good morning after a long time? Good morning everyone."

"Yo Hank." Jubilee smiled up and him and spit her chewing gum in the trash. "Heyyy, where's the professor, Logan and _ahem Rogue?" She glanced in Bobby's direction._

"Cut it out Jubes!" Bobby said taking orange juice from the fridge.

"Or else?" Jubilee said daringly.

"You don' wanna know," Bobby warned.

Jubilee felt a cold hand slipped under the back of her shirt in the middle of her back. "Wha—aaaaaaa-a Stop it icecube you don't—a—ewww my shirt is getting wettt!!!" She screamed receiving annoying glances from everyone. Bobby had formed an icecube, slipped it in her shirt and held it there.

Gambit shook his head at them and began eating with the rest of them. "Y' might wanna stop it Bobby. For once let us 'ave a good mornin'. Y' know how irritatin' she can be…"

"Yeah I guess you're right." Giving up, Bobby sat on his seat beside Scott.

"But Gambiiiit, all I said was where was the Professor, Logan and Rogue! Now you tell me. Is there anything wrong with it? God you people can be so paranoid sometimes." Jubilee went with her constant whining and rolling her eyes as she began eating.

"Professor is doing some research on the latest search FOHs have started doing in order to find their escaped…mutant." Jean said receiving nervous glances from everyone. "And umm, I gave him breakfast down there, so don' worry about it. Logan will be here any minute." 

"And you believe that the _escaped_ mutant happens to be…er…our new team mate?" Bobby questioned.

"Yep." Logan said as he walked in the kitchen. They could notice he was still fussing over having a new team mate who was a former terrorist and had almost taken the life of their old team mate, Carol.

Before anyone could reply, they saw Rogue walking in the kitchen quickly dressed in simple jeans and a white shirt. "Ah'm sorry Ah'm late." She walked in the door only to hit Logan in the shoulder as he came from the side. Rogue's super strength made Logan hit the cabinet with force although it was clearly noticeable that it was not her intention.

"Oh mah god Ah'm sorry Ah didn' know--" Having spent some days in the mansion, Rogue had learned slight control over her language and attitude.

Instantly, Logan shed his claws and backed up from the cabinet and straightened up. Walking up close to her , he stood with his claws to his side.

_Wow. Great. Just Great._ Bobby thought rolling his eyes while Jubilee suppressed her giggles by putting her head on the forehead. A smirk appeared on Gambits face. Scott crooked an eyebrow. Beast shook his head and Strom and Beast exchanged glances. 

Logan pointed his claw at her. "Next time y' better keep yer eyes open and watch where yer goin'." _Snikt_. The claws went back up in his skin and he moved to take a seat on Scott's other side.

"Ahem." Beast disrupted the silence by getting up and grasping Rogue's covered arm, he brought her to the table from the place where she had been standing for the whole two minutes. Her mouth was closed shut and her eyes were expressionless.

"Lets eat. Its okay. It's the danger room sessions and active duty you have to worry about being late to. You don't have to worry about being late to the breakfast, but we'd prefer to eat with our new team mate." Beast said as he pushed Rogue to sit on the chair beside him and Gambit.

"Damn it Logan. You sure do—er--" Jubilee whispered to Bobby but cut her sentence as she felt Logan's stare towards her. She cursed at herself for not remembering the fact that Logan had excellent senses, he could hear anything below the audible range of a normal human being.

"Here you go Rogue…pancakes." Storm moved the plate towards Gambit to pass it to Rogue.

Rogue tamely accepted it and offered a slight smile to Storm. "Thanks." She mumbled.

"So Rogue, I believe you are adapting to the institute?" Beast said to lighten the mood.

_Yeah raght.__ Doesn' it look lakh it? _"Ah guess so. Lakh ah mentioned befoh, Ah don' know anyone else who could help me with mah powers or take me in since ya'll already know that friends o' humanity are lookin' f' me." Rogue tugged some white strands that came out from her pony tail. "Ah have no where t' go."

The silence filled the air and all of them ate in silence, taken back by her response to Beast's question. Jubilee threw her nervous smiles occasionally, Bobby talked to her mouthing words to her without, and Remy…he looked for every single possible way to touch her gloved hand by asking her for a fork, juice and even tried to reach over her and get something from the table. Meanwhile Jubilee kept on doubling over in fits of laughter at Remy's actions.

_Lawd__....this boy is drivin' meh crazy already! Rogue rolled her eyebrows, Remy had once again asked her to pass the orange juice. "Wait a second Remy. Jubilee, sugah, could you pass the juice to Remy?" Rogue smirked at Jubilee who reached across the table and gave it to Remy._

"Uh, t'anks Jubilee." Remy managed a smile.

"No problem Remy. This is the _fifth_ time you've asked for orange juice from Rogue. I never knew you loved it so much." Jubilee said playfully. Jean and Storm finished and began to clean up the kitchen.

"Thanks for breakfast everyone. Ah think Ah'm gonna head upstairs now." Rogue got up and began to get out of her chair.

But Remy captured her gloved hand with his own and jerked her downwards back into her seat. "C'mon chere, dere's no hurry, we're not leavin' for session until fifteen minutes." He let his hand rest on her shoulder and looked into her eyes.

_Gawd__ is some hot thang or wha—Rogue felt herself being distracted moementarily by the red on black eyes that bore into her very soul. A faint blush appeared on Rogue's porcelain like skin. She bit her lower lip and looked away trying to find something she could concentrate on._

Bobby scrunched his face and Jubilee elbowed him in the ribs. "No I think we really need to get going. Rogue I have to show you this really super-duper-cool-poly-gizmo thing up in my room and…" On went Jubilee with her rambling as she stood up and grabbed Rogue from her seat leading her out of the kitchen.

"Latuh Sugah." Rogue smiled and waved her hand to Remy. Logan tightened his fists at the side and went out of the kitchen. Everyone knew that Logan did not approve of Jubilee spending time with the new team mate, they thought it was risky. Getting out of the kitchen Logan walked beside Rogue to go upstairs, however since the two girls seemed to be indulged in talking, he shoved passed Rogue hitting her slightly on the shoulder.

Rogue stopped dead in her tracks making Jubilee stop with her. "Y' need to watch where you're goin'." Rogue said. _O-oh._ Jubilee thought.

Logan stopped as well. He tilted his head and turned around. "_What_ did ya say?"

Not scared by one of the bravest mutants she had ever seen, Rogue looked at him defiantly in the eyes. "Ah said, y' need to watch where you're goin'. Need an illustration?"

"Who the _hell_ do ya think y' are t' tell _me_ what to do?" Logan asked advancing towards her with a deadly look on his face. In a matter of seconds his claws split out of his hands. 

"Y' wanna know sugah?" Rogue said pushing her sleeves up.

Standing on Rogue's side, Jubilee hesitated. "Umm..guys…uh I think we should just let it drop here.." She moved in front of Rogue and spread her hands at her side to keep Logan from hurting anyone.

"Get outta my way kid." Logan warned as he took another step.

But Jubilee protested from getting out of his way. "Logan…please…look.."

Rogue stared at Logan. "Jubilee, he can' hurt me. C'mon He needs t' know that Ah don' need to be treated lakh some trash picked up from a street."

"If that's what y' are, I got no other way t' treat ya." He snorted.

His comment threw her off guard and Rogue pushed Jubilee out of the way.

"_Don't_ touch her." Logan growled and attacked Rogue who shoved Jubilee on the side to save her from getting hit by anything.

Catching his wrist in her gloved hand, Rogue pushed him forward by slamming her hand on his chest. "Ah shoulda known before askin' to excuse yoahself that Ah wasn't talkin' to a man. Ah was talkin' to an _animal_." She dodged out of his way as he slashed his claw near her shoulder but it caught on her shirt tearing it from the bottom.

"Animal? Y' wanna see the real animal?" Once again Logan lunged at Rogue and grabbing her arm with his hand, he threw her at the floor causing her to land on her back. With one swift kick to his ankle, Rogue caught his wrist and punched Logan in the arm throwing him against the coffee table.

"Goddess!" Storm said as her blue eyes widened with fear. Not having her com-badge, Storm went to call their leader, Scott.

"Dieu..what the hell are dey doin'?! Can' keep y' mouth shut can ya wolverine? Knew dis would happen." With lightening speed Remy jumped over the couch to the center of the TV lounge where Rogue and Logan were indulged in a massive fight. Soon most of the x-men were standing at the door as Jubilee had gone and called them.

Rogue found herself pushed tightly against the wall and closed her eyes shut as the claws came to her face to slice her face into pieces. But the hand never came. She found Remy standing behind Logan and had caught his arm.

"Logan Rogue stop dis! What d' you think you're doin'."

"Stay outta this Gumbo." Logan jerked his arm away and twisted Rogue's wrist that he held tightly. Rogue, quickly using advantage of the situation, punched Logan in the gut with full force which sent him flying away against the sofa.

"Logan!" Two blue-green eyes widened with anger and Jean raised her hands to throw Rogue up against the wall again. 

"Y' guys ready to stop or else Gambit's ready t' blow dis place up."  Remy charged his card and held it up in the air. Everyone stood at their places and did not bother to move. Scott entered the room and clapped his hands sarcastically at their behavior.

"Well well. This is _exactly what the professor expects from us, isn't it?" Scott eyed everyone in the room. "Jubilee and Bobby you go meet with the professor upstairs."_

"But I was the one he---" Jubilee muttered.

"I don't want to hear a single word." Scott ordered and Jubilee went out of the tv lounge and up the stairs, Bobby followed stomping his foot on his way out.

"Jean let go of meh." Rogue said through clenched teeth. She showed her the death glare from her fierce, blazing green eyes on which her hair fell.

"After what you did to Logan? I _don't think so." Jean replied with an angry smile on her face and glanced at Ororo who gave Logan a hand to stand him up._

"_He_ was the one who started it." Rogue spat.

"How do I know that? _After all_, you were the one who hurt Carol."

"ENOUGH." Scott ordered.

"Say that to yoah wife whose defendin' Logan. Ah haven' been here for a week an' Ah know how aggressive he can be. How could Jean not know that aftah livin' here for such a long time?" Rogue said stuck to her position against the wall. She glanced at Gambit who shook his head and looked downwards. _Oh so you're turnin' your back on me too? Son of a..Her_ thoughts were cut off by Jean's voice.

Before he could reply, Scott moved to Jean who whimpered bringing a hand to her forehead. "You okay Jean?" He asked, his voice full of concern.

"Oh…I..I can't hold her any longer than this.." She clutched her forehead and it began to wrinkle. In a second she lost hold of her telekinesis on Rogue who tried to make her way out of the room but Gambit caught her arm. 

"Y' stay here." He moved his arm to her wrist grasping it lightly.

"What if Ah don' want ta?" Rogue asked arching her eyebrows at him. Her delicate covered wrist remained in his fingers.

"Den I'll make you." Remy replied. A thought hit him and his eyes softened, he glanced at her ripped shirt. "You okay? He asked, his thumb moving slightly on her wrist indicating his concern. However Rogue looked away by jerking her arm back and choosing not to reply.

"Jean, Scott, Remy, Logan and Rogue. I want all of you to come down to the danger room, now." The Professor's voice echoed in the room.

"Y' heard de boss." Remy looked and jerked his thumb towards the stair case. Rogue rolled her eyes at him and they all went up stairs prepared for a long lecture from the Professor.

****

"Alright everyone. This is what you have to do in order to make up for your absurd and careless actions in the morning. The professor has asked us to do this three hour constant session in order to get some sense through your thick sculls." Cyclops pointed his index finger towards his head angrily. There was no doubt that he was very disappointed and frustrated from the morning's events. The rest of the x-men stood facing Cyclops listening to the orders he was passing given to him by the Professor.

"If all else fails, the Professor will not restrain from giving you a real, severe punishment." Cyclops said.

"Try to gain control over your anger," Scott paused to glance at Logan, and then at Rogue, "and your emotions."

"Anything happens, you get another hour added. Now go ahead." Cyclops turned to the computer and the large screen to assign the right level of danger room session and the x-men entered the room as soon as the doors slid open.

****

**Author's Notes: Next up…Rogue/Remy on the roof…and…I won't tell you anything else, you'll find out anytime soon. :) **

**Thanks for ****Reading**** and Reviewing**


	10. Getting Along

'New Life, New Beginnings' by Samman

Disclaimer: The x-men are the property of Marvel and are used without permission. No profit is being made from this; this is simply a work of entertainment.

Author's Notes: **_I'm sorryyy it took me a while to update…I..uh…*gulp*…kinda got busy in..stuff._**

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Chapter 10: Getting Along

How harder was it going to get? How many more complications were coming her way as she took life as it came. Why did things turn out so badly for her? Or was it only her talking that way? Had the others been through this as well? Was she over exaggerating the issue?

She beside her bed with her legs and arms crossed to herself. Pondering over matters was becoming a routine day by day as she sat there everyday, often crying to herself and letting her aggravation out. 

Her nimble, covered fingers expertly tied the shinny auburn strands into a braid. She absently used her other hand to tug the front whites and browns behind her ear as she bit her lip thinking about how they had isolated her in the mansion. Her leader, Cyclops, had asked her to remain indoors until he gave alternative orders. Walking around inside the mansion everyday was getting just too boring now.

Now that Rogue had flying powers, the urge to fly out of the window and into the clear skies was driving her crazy. A small smile appeared on Rogue's lips as an idea struck her. She chewed on her lips for a second and a second later grabbed her sweatshirt, zipping it up to her torso.

Rogue tugged her small feet in her sneakers and opened the balcony door. When she slipped the door open, a breeze of wind flew into her face and she stepped out into the open staring at the darkness in the huge mansion grounds. 

The instant she stepped out, her guts were tightened by a sick, awful feeling. What if they caught her going outside? The x-men were doing everything to help her, she thought, but isolating her for her own security was only scaring her away. 

Pushing all the thoughts away, Rogue flew up into the air until she reached the rooftop. The front strands of her hair flew on her face as she hovered in the air. Just moments after planting her feet on the rooftop, Rogue realized that someone had already taken her place. She did not need a complete inspection of the person sitting in her spot…the cigarette was a prominent enough sign for her.

Gambit. Rogue made a disgusted face. Before she moved to give him a punch or too for taking her place, she felt his eyes on her. He had turned to look at her and she hadn't even noticed. Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Well...what 'ave we here." Gambit's red and black eyes shone brightly in the darkness that surrounded him. Almost scared the heck out of the girl standing away from him, he thought. "I t'ought y' were supposed t' remain inside." Gambit grinned at her and took a puff of smoke as he gazed at her.

_Here we go again. "Uh..Ah don' think anyone could hurt meh where Ah'm standin' right now." Rogue looked at him irritated. She stood on the roof with her feet firmly placed on it and an arm against her waist. "'sides Ah can __fly."_

"Dats where y' wrong _chére_." Gambit shook his head. "It's not 'bout anybody hurtin' you, its 'bout _you escapin' away from _dem_…or I should say _us_." He took another drag from his cigarette._

Although his remark seemed to have an effect on her, Rogue secured her composure. However, Gambit could already notice the sadden expression that was now appearing on her petite features.

"Where do y' think Ah'll go? Like Ah said before, Ah have no where ta go." Rogue stared into his eyes and played with her braid. "'sides its non of yoah business as to where Ah go as long as Ah'm stayin' in the mansion."

Gambit huffed loudly at her childishness. Ignoring her comments, Gambit patted on the space beside him. "Now dat y' up here, aren' ya gonna sit? Enjoy de view _chére_?" He nodded towards the vast land beyond the mansion grounds.

"Ah was gonna, but _you_ took mah place." Rogue said defiantly while tugging a strand behind her ear. "So Ah'm gonna go and take a seat somewheah else." She walked towards the opposite side of the roof as Gambit watched her go with a ridiculous expression on his face.

"Now why y' avoidin' me, eh _chére_?" Gambit raised an eyebrow. "Is dat cuz of what happened last week?" Gambit asked her, referring to the fight she had with Wolverine on an early morning.

Rogue sat down and let her legs hang down the edge of the roof. "Ah'm not avoidin' you. An' _this_ has nuthin' t' do with 'what happened last week'. Rogue said, accenting the last words with his accent and voice.

"Fine den." Gambit said and went back to his smoking. Without saying a word, he silently walked towards her with expert skill. After all, he had been a king of thieves. Crouching quietly behind Rogue's back, Gambit grasped her shoulders and shoved her forward slightly—but fast enough for her to jump back and grab him through anyway she could. "Ohmahgod!" was all she muttered.

Not liking his foolish act one bit, Rogue slightly shoved him backwards with one hand knowing that her too much strength could be harmful. "What the hell was that?!"

"I t'ought you could _fly_—." Gambit asked grinning attractively and looking at her through the strands of auburn hair. The feel of her body pressing against hers thrilled him and unsurprisingly, he wanted more, however he knew she wouldn't let him near her than an arms length.

She was not quiet used to the super strength and flying powers yet, Remy knew from the various danger room sessions that had together. The clumsy falling from high-rise buildings and knocking robots haphazardly was what she had been doing in the danger room while Cyclops barked orders at her during their training sessions. Thanks to the least bit of training lessons that Mystique had given her, they came in handy for the girl sometimes, Gambit thought.

"_Shut_ the hell up an' get outta mah sight." Rogue said annoyingly and turned her back to him. "Can' a girl have some time for herself?"

"_'scuse_ me? Who was de one who came up here first?" Gambit said. Despite her gesturing protests, Gambit placed him beside her at an arms length. "'sides dis has been m' place ever since I joined de x-men. Kinda makes y' get y' mind off o' things."

Rogue glanced at him and turned back to look at the city ahead of her. "Yeah, thanks to yoah _Wolverine _f' makin' things easiuh for me." She said sarcastically. "Ah nevah would've come up heah if Cyclops hadn' put a curfew on me."

Before saying anything he looked at her angrily but lost himself in her sight. Her glittery green eyes shone against the darkness of the night and matched beautifully with her auburn and white bangs. He watched her full, luscious red lips as she spoke each word bitterly. "Now why y' sayin' dat? Is dat cuz of what happened last week?" Gambit asked her referring to the fight she had with Wolverine on an early morning. 

"Uh…whadya think?" Rogue clenched her teeth and curled her gloved fingers into a fist, while staring at the grounds. "If you hadn't stopped me, Ah woulda broken his jaw or somethin'…_only_ if you hadn't come between us." She gave him dirty look and went back to staring into nothingness.

"You woulda broken 'is jaw? Wolvie's? Y' must be kiddin' me." Gambit took another drag of cigarette and took out the smoke sideways.

"Ah intended ta do so. But _again_, thanks ta you." Rogue paused. "And _Jean." She muttered through clenched teeth._

Gambit shook his head, she was just too naïve right now for dealing with all this, he thought. She would have to do so much to gain everyone's trust and moreover, for the x-men to be able to trust her since she had been with so many different people who did nothing but, harm her. In every possible way they could, emotionally and physically. 

So for Rogue creating a barrier around herself was not surprising for them, Professor and Hank had warned them. Also, they had been given certain guidelines by the Professor as to how to deal with her.

"Yeah, kind o' gets annoyin', dat stuff dat Jeanie keeps on doin' wit yer head, no?" Gambit said tilting his head towards Rogue. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts but she abruptly looked at him.

She paused before speaking. "Yeah…Ah think so too." Rogue gulped nervously before speaking. "Y' know, lakh she gets into your head. Its kinda freaky." Rogue shuddered, the uneasy feeling added up the cold that was freezing her, Gambit could tell by the rosy color cheeks among the pale skin.

"The professuh too. The way they lakh get into your head just freaks meh out, not ta mention Ah already have one personality stuck in mah brain forevuh." Rogue shook her head pointing her finger towards her head.

Gambit took a moment to study her while she explored the beauty that surrounded them. It took time, but still, after numerous efforts, one could convince her to loosen up a bit. And he could already see the result of his efforts as she suddenly started talking to him with trust about other x-men.

"Y'll get used t' it soon enough _chére_," Gambit said. "How's she doin' up dere?" Remy knocked on her head slightly with his hand.

Rogue flinched from the touch moved an inch away, making it obvious that she didn't want to be touched. "She's fahne. The professuh and Jean got inta mah head 'gain and shut her off completely." She tilted her head and looked at him, "Why am Ah havin' this conversation with y'?"

Gambit allowed himself to take another long look at her before answering. Now that he got a chance to look at her completely, he found that her looks were driving him crazy. Her seductive way of tilting her head and her feisty green eyes were not helping him much here. However, like always, it wasn't just the looks of this newbie, it was the mixture of innocence and aggressiveness that drove him mad with desire.

"Y' askin' me, or y'self _chére?" Gambit questioned grinning at her._

"Ah don' know." Said Rogue irritated and flipped her long braided hair only to have it flip around the other shoulder. She looked at him sideways and made a disgusted face. "Yoah smokin' that thing again Gambit?"

"Yeah, what d' you care?"

"What makes y' think _that_?!" Rogue was taken back by his curt response. _Ya'll really played with his patience sugah, _she thought about it after snapping at him.

Gambit took another long drag of cigarette, now that he knew it annoyed the heck out of her, he did it purposely. "Believe me , dis stuff really gets t'ings outta y' mind."

"Yoah implyin' that Ah should try it?" Rogue said skeptically as she stared at the smoke coming out from his nose and lips.

Shaking his head, Gambit continued smoking as if it was his lifeline. "No_ chére_, o' course not---"Before he could finish the sentence, she snatched the cigarette away from his lips.

"Le' me try this." Rogue said smiling mischievously and dodged her arm away as Gambit reached to take it back.

Gambit reached to grasp her hand. "No _chére, dats not a good thin--"_

"Rogue dodged again and before he could seize the cigarette from her hand, she attached the cigarette to her lips to take a puff or two. But the smoke reached to her esophagus and she started coughing miserably. It was only a moment and he snatched back his cigarette.

"What de _hell_ d' you t'ink you're doin'?" Remy asked sternly as he firmly patted her back and steadied her with his arm. 

Rogue regained her composed and started laughing uncontrollably. "Y'…y' didn't think Ah was gonna do it, didja?" She looked at him with smiley eyes at which Gambit only rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"But see, y' were the one who told me that it takes yoah mind offa things, right?" Rogue twitched her shoulder to get his arm off her and she was pleased to find that she succeeded in doing so. Propping up an elbow, she kept her chin on the hand in front of her.

Meanwhile Gambit stared at the red lipstick marks on the head of his cigarette, he smiled to himself and put it out. "_Chére_, dere be ot'er ways t' solve y' problems. Y' have a choice." For the thousandth time in a day, Gambit thought about the Mutant Massacre. It was a routine to think about it. Of course, he was not supposed to forget after killing a thousand people. But even after the x-men forgave him, deep down in his heart, he was still hurt, and only God knew of giving him peace inside by making him forget the Massacre.

Rogue brushed a strand away tentatively and looked at him with the slightest of concern, something that she had learned living with the x-men for two months. "Why are y' sayin' that?" She asked.

Putting on his best poker face and the lady-killer grin, Gambit turned to her. "It's--y' wouldn' be able t' understand it." Although he appreciated the concern, Gambit did not want to spill anything considering that she was only a new comer.

"Oh." Rogue bit her lip. They still treated her like a new comer, how long was it gonna go that way? "It's gettin' pretty late, Ah think Ah'm gonna go now." She got up started to leave.

"G'night _chére_." Gambit sat there thinking to himself. "Care t' give Gambit a lift _chére?" Gambit said as he saw her hover above the ground, ready to fly down to her balcony._

For the first time in so many days, Rogue smiled. "Ah…don' think that might be such a good idea. The other's might think that Ah'm tryin' t' kidnap y' or somethin'. G'night." With one last smile, she flew down into her room only to have herself think about a good future with the x-men that seemed to be very distant at the moment. 

"An' stop callin' me chére!" Gambit heard her voice as she slid open her balcony. He smiled to himself and got ready to hop down to his own room but decided against it since he needed to grab a bite first.

****

Everyone sat in the TV lounge on the next day. They hardly got any warm afternoons to spend time together and enjoy anymore. But today, Scott, Jean, Ororo, Beast, Jubilee, Gambit, Bobby, and Rogue, all sat around the room trying to occupy themselves into something.

"Gimme the damn remote before I do something that you're gonna regret later…" Bobby threatened Jubilee with a mischievous look in his icy blue eyes. Although Jubilee seemed to be pretty preoccupied with talking to Gambit about something, she kept the remote behind her with a tight hand securing it.

"I don't think so, _the x-files_ repeat will be on any minute now and there is no way I'm gonna give you the remote control." Jubilee said trying her best to ignore him.

Without a word, Bobby got up from the loveseat and lunged at Jubilee who sat on the floor. "Come ooon, just for today…you're wastin' my time here…" He grabbed her ankle and slid her down and tried to tackle Jubilee who held the remote tightly.

The other x-men sighed and watched at the two youngsters currently kicking and battling on the floor. "No! Y' want it cuz you're gonna watch 'what a cartoon show'—STOP IT Bobby I'm telling ya---ahhhh."

"Got it!" Bobby snatched the remote and quickly changed the channels as held the remote up high, from Jubilee's reach. "Please Jubes—"

"Go back a minute."

Bobby turned to look at their leader Scott who had intervened between the two x-men. "They had news alert on it. Change it, _now." Scott said sternly and Bobby disappointedly threw the remote in the air, only to have Jean catch it telepathically. The room silenced as she turned up the volume to clearly hear what the newscasters were saying._

"—and the anti-mutant organization **_'friends of humanity'_** have recently launched an attack on a base that they believe is a 'mutant base'. Highly secured and protected building, the mutant base seems to instigate the attack from inside as no mutants have been detected outside the building yet. According to a recent report from the head of the NYPD and the chairman of '_friends of humanity', it is believed that the fight has erupted due to a _mutant's_ escape that was two months ago and that the mutant seemed to reside the building that has been attacked. We'll have some more live coverage on the 'Attack on Mutant Base' in a minute. This is Sandra—"_

"It's Mystique's base." Scott said, as everyone remained in their positions, shocked and unsure of the consequences.

"Oh _mah Gawd." Rogue clasped a gloved hand on her mouth. Two green, dazed eyes were fixed on a certain spot as she tried to maintain herself. Although Mystique had led her to commit a crime despite her knowing the consequences, Rogue had spent her childhood with Mystique until the friends of humanity had regained control of her. "Its….its 'cuz of meh. The mutant…who escaped…it's _me_.." Rogue's horrified eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at Scott searching for an answer._

"Scott, dear, the professor's coming downstairs, he's informed about the news." Jean said as she looked at the x-men in the room. 

"So what now? We go save Mystique's ass?" Bobby questioned getting up from his place.

Ororo gave one sharp glance across Bobby's way, "I believe you all know that Mystique is Rogue's mother, you should have the decency to at least respect her. Besides, she's a mutant, and it's our right to help them when they need us, we can't let the friends of humanity harm them."

"So you think we should go down there?" Jean questioned Ororo quizzically. "We're putting Rogue's life at risk, they've attacked Mystique because they expect her to be there, I don't think it's a good idea. What do you say Scott?" She turned to look at Scott who seemed to be in deep thought.

"I say we're wasting time here thinking, our simple plan should be to go there, save Mystique, come back." Scott said as he stood up, getting ready to leave for combat.

"Ah…what about me?" Rogue said nervously.

"What about you? You're comin' with us." Scott replied confidently.

Ororo stood up and pondered over Rogue's statement before saying anything. "But the friends of humanity are looking for her, we don't want to loose Rogue again in saving Mystique. Either Mystique or the friends of humanity will try to get Rogue."

"No, Ah think..Ah'm gonna come with ya'll…Ah can't stay like this the rest of mah life. Ah have to face mah fears…" Rogue bit her lip and looked at Bobby who kept a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Not to worry my friend, not to worry, we'll kick their asses." Bobby said grasping her shoulders.

Gambit joined Bobby and shuffled his cards as his red eyes blazed with energy. "Yea…we' blowin' up dere asses t'night."

"Wolverine is coming with the Prof, you guys go get ready for combat and we leave in five minutes." Scott ordered the instructions and the x-men went their respective ways to get ready for a combat.

"Rogue?" 

"Yeah Scott?" Rogue turned around.

"Don't worry Rogue, we won't let anything happen to you." For the first time, Scott didn't find it very hard to say two encouraging words to his new teammate.

Rogue's only reply was to smile good heartedly at him as she turned to go after the fellow x-men. Deep down in her heart, she didn't know what she was she going to do in her first battle, which was against her mother as well as against the friends of humanity-both of them whom she had left behind to find peace with the x-men. But something told her that it wasn't going to last very long…

**To be Continued…**

****

**Author's Notes**: Dun Dun Dun…This is it for now. Oh and the scene where Rogue tries to smoke a cigarette, I haven't written it to encourage ya'll to smoke :) Its just for developing Gambit's character. So, nowadays, I'm trying my best to ahem *quickly* update these fics, so don't' forget to come back and check for updates…you might find a surprise update here and there. ^_^

Thanks for your patience and reading and reviewing.

Samman


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